


First Child

by Sanguied



Category: Fright Night (1985), Fright Night (2011)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-05-15 08:12:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14786742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanguied/pseuds/Sanguied
Summary: Jerry Dandrige has made his first child. These things are never easy.





	1. and the child?

Regine often felt shadows, shades of feelings, from her brother. She’d been in Milan when it began, the faint waves of her brother’s thrill of the hunt. Not just a meal, an actual hunt. The feelings had become almost tangible. Something or perhaps someone had peaked Jerry’s interest to a new height. She’d been amused.

Later, she’d felt agony scream from her brother’s soul and then his desperate illusions to save himself. Mentally she had chased him, prodding, paying attention as he had escaped. She only retreated when he had fallen into a healing sleep.

Soon after Regine was on a plane aimed at the American Colonies. It was then she felt Jerry awaken, weak but whole. She stabled him as much as she could as he fed. So hungered, he ate without any of his usual care. She felt him pull away from her and back to the shadows as he regained strength. She didn’t let him recede completely, not after the scare he had given her. Therefore, she was paying attention when a tangle of emotions spilled over, lust, affection, want, so many she couldn’t sort them, and she had felt it when he made a child. Not a servant, or minion, but an actual child.

Jerry’s first child.

Part 1

Regine could no longer stand back and wait. Even as she set up base within Los Angeles, Regine sent one of her own children with an invitation for Jerry, who must still be recovering himself, and his new child to join her.

“Harriet has returned.”

Regine looked to her servant, shaken from her thoughts with a small smile, “Send her to me.”

Harriet bustled into the room with her usual aplomb, “He’s coming Sire. Should follow me by a couple of days.”

Regine nodded, “and the child?”

Harriet dropped into a seat, her long dark hair bouncing around her with the speed of her fluid movements, “Spoiled rotten. A girl, beautiful, light brown hair, and when I say girl, I mean girl Sire. She’s a teenager. Jerry gives her whatever she wants. She feeds and dines as she likes. She looks near enough like Olivia to be her younger sister.”

Regine frowned, this wasn’t what she’d hoped for. Olivia had been her beloved sister as well and her walk into the sun had hurt them both. “Does she remind you of Olivia in any other way?”

Harriet was quick to shake her head, “Absolutely not. She’s a teenage princess with teeth. He also turned a minion. A boy. I guess it was Amy’s (that’s her name) boyfriend before. He still looks like a little kid through while Amy has already begun to refine her tastes. Jerry lets her have her choice of meal as long as it follows our rules. The minion doesn’t even hunt. Jerry brings him left overs I guess.”

“Thank you, Harriet.” She tilted her head for Harriet’s soft kiss against her cheek. “If you’re hungry my girl, there’s food to be found below. Do not drain any, they have to last until we get a stable supply.”

“Yes Sire,” Harriet grinned at her before bouncing from the room.

FNFNFNFN

Regine felt them approach before the car turned down the drive. She smoothed a hand down her dress and bit off a smile. Imagine, trying to make a good impression on her new niece. She smirked at her own display. Still she was standing at the double doors, nodding for them to be thrown open, just as the car stopped.

She waited as driver opened the back door. Jerry was the first to emerge and she was happy to see with her own eyes that he looked quite recovered. Now savoring the surprise, she didn’t even glance at the other two figures as she opened her arms to her brother.

“I am well Regine,” His deep voice was full of mirth, but she could hear his relief as well.

She leaned back, “So you are.” She pulled away as the other two joined them. She looked to her niece first. The girl was dressed in a designer gown, her hair was styled to make her look older, but did nothing to hide the youth of her face. She indeed did look like Olivia. “My dear,” She started to reach out with her hands but paused. She looked the girl over. There were some fine lines of decay that would never appear on a child. She reached out with her senses and yanked back both senses and hands. Regine stepped back. This girl was nothing but a minion. This was no child of their line. She’d nearly welcomed a minion.

But…there was a child. She was not wrong about that.

Regine dismissed the girl and looked to the boy, standing slightly behind Jerry. The boy wasn’t fancy at all, outfitted in jeans and a hoodie. His dark hair, slightly curled with youth, was mostly a mess. He glanced up at her. He had an exquisite face and lovely large eyes.

“His name is Charley.”

Regine nodded that she’d heard Jerry but didn’t take her eyes off the boy. Yes, now this was a child of their line. Full of passion and spirit, his soul blazed. He was perfect, and she could see Jerry had fed a lot into the boy, he practically vibrated with her brother’s blood singing though him. She swallowed, “You’ve done well my brother. Greetings Charley.”

Charley glanced at her, “Ah, hi.”

Regine glanced to Harriet, who looked properly mortified with embarrassment. She quickly stepped forward, “Hey Amy.”

Amy grinned, “Cousin Harriet!” Amy attempted to hug Harriet, who rebuffed her gently.

Harriet looked nervously back to Regine’s raised eyebrow, “it’s just Harriet. Let’s go Amy, I’ve got some friends I’d love you to meet.”

Amy didn’t shrug away from Harriet’s hand on her arm but nor did she allow herself to be moved instead she glanced back to Jerry, who glanced down at Charley and then back to her with a tight smile, “By all means go and enjoy yourself.”

 Amy giggled and let herself be lead away.

Regine frowned after them, a minion in designer, who would ever? She looked back, certainly not while their own childe wore rags. Perhaps Harriet hadn’t been as mistaken as Regine had first thought. She smiled though, “Come, I’ll give you both the tour later, but for now let’s catch up.” She led the way towards her study.

“Amy?”

Charley’s voice wasn’t loud, but over the course of their short time together Jerry had already attuned himself to listen to anything Charley voiced and the question behind it. “Remember she has different needs than us. Harriet is going to introduce her to her own kind. She’ll love it.”

Jerry looked down, but all Charley did was nod his head. Jerry resisted sighing. He followed Regine, glancing around as he did so. Regine had already built herself quite the place. The large property was soaked in luxury and riches. He couldn’t see all the inhabitants, but he could feel she had at least 15 here. Though a fair number peaked at them when they could. He was sure they were all very curious about his first childe.

Regine realized something brewed beneath Jerry’s calm and interested changed her plans. Regine drew Jerry to the fire to sit together, while the child wandered to her bookshelves. Belle appeared and without needing words brought three glasses of wine and disappeared as quickly. Regine smiled at the quiet and circumvent way of her eldest.

Regine watched with barely disguised glee as Jerry casually used a talon to cut open his wrist and bled into the untouched wine. She’d never seen her brother bleed for another to snack.

“Charley, come here.”

The boy put the book aside and wandered towards them. Charley stopped between their chairs and cast nervous eyes towards her but as Jerry leaned back, Charley slipped onto Jerry’s lap with an ease that spoke of practice. Jerry rested his chin on the boy’s head and Regine bit off the smile as she observed her brother sniff at Charley’s hair as he offered the glass of wine. “Drink it all.” Sitting across his sire’s lap, Charley used both hands to hold the stem and, after the first taste, drank easily. He finished and fluidly moved from his sire’s lap. Regine took the stem from the boy. “Would you like your tour now Charley? Belle,” and like his name was a beacon, the door opened for Belle to enter. “will take you around.”

Charley looked to Jerry warily and Regine wasn’t sure if he was more anxious to leave or to stay.

“You may go.” But he didn’t sound nearly as happy as when he’d sent the minion away.

Regine was amused that Jerry seemed unsure of letting Charley out of his sight. The boy went to Belle and before they left Regine called out, “Belle, do not tour downstairs.” The tall dark vampire nodded his agreement as he closed the door behind them.

Regine took a few sips of her wine, “He’s lovely.”

“He’s a menace,” But Jerry smiled as he said it, “He attempted to kill me. He’s the reason for my healing sleep.”

Regine raised an eyebrow, “That little slip of a boy nearly killed you?”

Jerry nodded, “his spirit is much stronger than that body. Usually…”

Regine was impressed, “And you’re afraid you’ve tamed that spirit?”

Jerry laughed, full head back laughed, “Tamed? No, I don’t believe so, he would continue to fight but I think the change and,”

“The minion.”

Jerry nodded, “the minion, his mother, and some washed up late night monster chaser.”

“I see. And you couldn’t let him go, disappear?” She wanted to understand, this was so different from anything she’d come to expect from her brother.    

Jerry’s eyes unfocused, “No.”

Regine raised an eyebrow, “No?”

“No one has ever intrigued me as he does.”

How could that little boy possibly ensnare her brother, “How old is he?”

Jerry shrugged, “what’s age to us?” She didn’t reply and he looked away with a shrug, “17.”

She nodded, she’d guessed 16 or 17 and he would be so forever. She’d never turned a childe so young. Minions, of course, they were disposable and weren’t meant for forever. “And the minion? He knows?” 

“He knows she came back different. That she didn’t really retain her personality. He knows she’s different than he is, but he doesn’t understand that he’s infinitely more precious. He doesn’t understand what it means to be a child of the line. All he knows is that he is mine.”

“I’m sure you’ve made that very clear.”

Jerry leaned back in his chair and sighed. “He has given in, but…”  

“Give him time brother. That spirit will rise again. Once the shock of the change has faded and his mother old and gray. Wait, the ties will loosen and you’ll have your hands full. I can sense a furors spirit in that one.”

Jerry smiled, “Thank you, sister.” She patted his hand across the table.

“I can see he means very much to you, which begs the question of why? Harriet thought that minion was your childe. She says he wears rags,” She thought of the boy who, in her mind, was still wearing rags. “He doesn’t hunt, you feed him leftovers.”

Jerry growled. “No one feeds him but me. I bring him food. He’s picky, won’t eat anything but the most horrible of humans. I find them and bring them to him.”

Regine nodded. Harriet had mistaken catering for uncaring, of course Harriet wouldn’t understand. She’d never been so picky, nor had she ever had her sire hand deliver. “Of course, brother.”

“I like his clothes and so does he. Besides he won’t wear anything else. I buy the best of those things and then have them washed until soft.” Jerry defended.

Regine froze, her wine glass mid-lift, “You love him.”

Jerry frowned with a glare, “He interests me.”

She wasn’t fooled. “Jerry this is glorious.” She felt her brother try to push his feelings down. “No, no,” she stood and went to his chair, sitting on the arm and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “He’s your child. If you didn’t love him, oh Jerry I’d feel awful for you both. Without love, eternity is soul-less and you’ve gone so long. So empty, if this boy gives you this. This is something to embrace. I celebrate him.”

“But he…”

“He will. He is _your_ child. He has feelings for you, which I’m sure he doesn’t understand and likely confuse him. Perhaps, if he feels your affection, he would accept those feelings easier. Love would burn through his pain and resentment faster than anything else.”

“But if he knows, he’ll use it to try and manipulate me.”

Regine smiled and squeezed his shoulder, “and for little things let him. He already has you wrapped around his little finger. What is the harm in letting him know this? To let him see he matters. Then he’ll be more inclined when you must say no.”

Jerry frowned, pondering. “Is that what you do, with your offspring?”

“I certainly don’t let them wonder. Mine know their place in my heart. It will only help if you allow Charley the same.”

“It’s, ah yes, I mean, it isn’t easy for me.”

“But it is, just stop hiding from him.” She went back to her chair and took up her wine. “Which is one of the reasons I hope you’ll stay with my household for a time.” She saw the look on his face and kept going before he could respond. “I promise no sister antics and not to drive you away. You need this time Jerry to become a sire and rebuild your fortune and house. Europe has treated me well and my house is thriving. Allow me to share with you as you have harbored me in the past.”

Now he seemed thoughtful rather than dismissive. 

***

Charley tried not to touch anything, everything seemed so expensive. It wasn’t like anything he’d ever seen except on TV. Everything was marble and there were no mirrors, which Charley appreciated, mirrors just freaked him out now.

Belle glanced at the boy. He couldn’t understand how a child could clearly enchant an elder vampire. However, it wasn’t his place to wonder and Charley seemed a sweet little boy, though not to his own tastes. He showed him around the mansion, but the boy asked no questions, just nodded and looked around with wide eyes. “You’re Jerry’s first, did you know that?”

Charley paused and looked to him in confusion. “No, he made Ed and Amy before me.”

He raised an eyebrow. Belle didn’t know an Ed, but he knew this was Jerry’s first and only child and figured Ed (whomever he was) was another minion. “But they were made differently than you.”

Charley nodded. “I guess so, Amy’s different. I’m not, I mean besides the obvious.”

Perhaps he wasn’t the one to explain this, but he couldn’t see his Sire having the care of minions this required, and he couldn’t see Jerry really explaining anything. “It has to do with blood.”

Charley scowled, “seems everything does.”

“With our kind generally yes.”

Charley nodded. “Yeah right. So, um,” he looked pained for a moment then resigned. “Could you explain it to me?”

He led him to an empty game room, “sit.” Belle leaned against the pool table and regarded the boy sitting on the edge of the couch watching him. “When a vampire feeds from someone it can end in three ways death, minion, or child. You know death,” Charley looked away with a guilty nod. “Then there’s there is minion and child. You are too young for either but when an elder wants to make another vampire there’s two options a minion or a child. This is as when you were made, Jerry took your blood and then gave you his.”

Charley nodded. “I remember.”

“There are two stopping points when an elder vampire feeds someone their blood, their life force, into another. The first stopping point is when an elder feels their blood take hold. The moment when the intended has ingested enough to become a vampire. If the elder goes beyond this point and continues to feed life force into the intended, they become part of the elder’s family. The new vampire will keep them self in getting more from their maker. They become more, the first stopping point gives a century or many, the second eternity.”

Charley mulled his words over then looked to him. “Which am I?”

“When the elder stops at the first point they create a minion. Minions call their makers master usually, because they are unable to move against their maker’s wishes. They have limited control of themselves. They don’t retain much of their humanity. They have the memories of their human life but lack the ability to really feel them.”

Charley swallow thickly and looked down.

Belle continued. “But when an elder continues, they make a child. A child has control, can think and function independently from their makers. They not only remember their human lives but the emotions as well. Their personalities remain intact and their ideals remain pretty much the same. They are revered by the line, they are our young. They mean everything to the line and are not made lightly. Jerry has made only one in his very long existence. My own Sire, Regine, has made only 4. They are important, loved and cared for. Minions are a dime a dozen. Regine has many in this house alone.”

Charley’s thoughts turned. “Can you tell the difference?”

“Yes, and with time you will be able too. Though younger ones can make mistakes at times.” Belle smirked, remembering Harriet’s blunder.

Even faced with the facts Charley couldn’t understand it. “And minions don’t call their makers sire?”

“Hell no, it’s repulsive.”

Charley closed his eyes and nodded his head. He remembered, after Harriet had left, Amy had called Jerry sire at every opportunity. He also remembered Jerry’s grimace and near flinch when she’d said it. He didn’t know what happened, but after that first night, Amy had never used the title again.

But why? Jerry hated him, this was his punishment. Jerry had wanted Amy. Charley was just collateral. Belle had said the children were loved, but Jerry didn’t love him. Not that he cared because he hated the monster. It just didn’t make sense, but he wasn’t different really and Amy was so, “Can the elder make a mistake? You know, accidently make someone a child, or not give them enough blood and accidently make them minion when they meant to make a child?”

Belle looked concerned. “No little man, you are what you are because that’s what Jerry wanted. Those types of mistakes would never happen with someone as old as he.”

“Oh.”

****

Regine, happy her brother decided to stay, could see signs of anxiousness creeping around Jerry’s eyes.

“Jerry?”

Jerry took a breath and paused, longer than a human would’ve been able to hold it, before he said. “Something has,” he smiled, “freaked Charley out.” He’d never felt another as he did Charley, the sense of his child and Charley’s emotional state was still so new.

“Belle would’ve kept him from down stairs.”

Jerry shook his head. “I’m not sure what it was.” He turned his thoughts to the other needs of his child. “What is the food situation? And sleeping, Charley can’t stay up for long after the sun rises.”

“Got several large humans down stairs. We’re sharing them and taking only enough to hold off hunger. I have a delivery being set up.”

Jerry scowled, “bagged? Regine.”

Regine smiled, “the world changes and we need to change with it. Yes, bagged. It’s come a long way, tastes nearly from the vein. We must be more careful these days. As you can see it’s worked for me. I don’t have babes plotting my demise.”

She did have a point and perhaps Charley would eat more from a bag than from the source. “Yes fine, but don’t be upset if I wander out.” He raised a hand. “Which I will not bring home or even close. You ought to know I would not endanger Charley in such a way, nor upset him by flaunting my choices in front of him.”

Regine nodded with a knowing smiled. “I’ll order enough to keep him fed well. Does he need to feed tonight still? It’s been awhile since I had one so young that they needed to feed nightly.”

“See you do. And no, I fed him myself before we left.”

She smiled. She’d never given any of her own but the smallest of snacks after turning. Feeding a child sire’s blood so often tied a child tightly to their sire as Jerry well knew. “Of course, Jerry.” She stood, “As far as the sleeping arrangements go. I think you’ll be very pleased. We can bring Charley along as well. It is growing late and I’m sure he has begun to tire.”

***

Charley took in the information. “Jerry, ah he doesn’t tell me anything, so ah thanks.” He laughed nervously, “it took me forever to learn that our faces don’t go, you know all nasty when we, you know,” he flashed his fangs and glowing red eyes, “I thought there was pointed ears and wrinkled skin involved.”

Belle laughed. “Your sire is a natural at illusions, probably uses them like the rest of us blink, unneeded but without thought.” He waved a hand at him, “do that again.” Charley frowned, his head tilted in confusion. Belle flashed his fangs at him and Charley shrugged and did as he asked, “stop, hang on a moment.” He studied him for a moment, the fangs and eyes, the mark of their kind, they just looked more horrific as part of such a young sweet face. Belle smiled and while he still looked confused Charley’s features slipped into his human form.

Charley was still damn confused when Belle led him into the hallway and certainly wasn’t ready for Jerry’s overwhelming presence to join them. Still when the elder vampires appeared, Jerry had barely gotten out the “Charley” before Charley found himself at the vampire’s side. He felt Jerry’s eyes on him but didn’t look up. Charley nodded to Belle in thankfulness before they left him.

Charley avoided thoughts about Jerry and the vampire himself by looking around the house until Regine led them to a door where she punched in a code. She opened door, which turned out to be a staircase leading down. He didn’t catch the look he was sure Jerry shot Regine as he caught her response. “No all that’s down in the main basement on the other side of the house. This is separate.”

They ended up in a wine cellar and while Charley looked around, a wine cellar seemed to be all it was, he wasn’t sleeping down here. He finally looked to Jerry, who shook his head. “No Charley, I’m sure there’s more. Isn’t there Regine.”

She chuckled. “Of course,” she leaned over and pulled one of the many bottles sticking out of the wall. Charley didn’t see which one exactly, but instead of pulling the bottle, the back wall slid aside revealing a metal door with a black panel. Regine place her hand on the panel which beeped and then swung open. “Remind me to add you both to the hand scanner.” Regine called back.

Charley looked at all the caskets scattered across the floor. Some shinny and polished, some old and chipped.

“The original owner had this room as a bomb shelter I believe. I added the coffins of course but the rest is as the previous owner left it.”

Charley felt the weight of the coming dawn and yawned. Jerry glared above his tired child’s head. Regine resisted rolling her eyes at her brother’s display and instead went to the nearest wall and took hold of the shelving unit and began to pull. Even Charley could see it was an actual pull for her to move the shelf and wondered why until he realized she was pulling the wall away with the metal shelf. About three feet of cement came out from the wall, revealing a passage way. “A minion would be unable to move that without help and adding help,” Regine smiled wickedly, “well more than one set of hands on this shelf makes for a nasty surprise.” She waved them to go down the passageway.   

Once they were in, Regine brought the wall closed behind them. Even with Charley’s vampiric sight, it was dark, very dark, a human would have found it pitch black. He leaned closer to Jerry and told himself it was only because he was tired.

“There are sensors in the walls.” Regine spoke from behind them, “if anyone above a certain temperature, say around 98degrees or so were to walk this hallway, the ceiling drops to the floor.” Jerry approved, he’d been out of vampire culture a long time, but it seems things had moved ahead.

Jerry stopped at the end of the hallway and brought both he and Charley to the side as to let Regine though. She past him saying, “Past the bomb shelter, I have added everything. No one human even knows it exists. None of the minions have ever been down here. The contractor, who I brought in to do the work, is dead. There are traps and precautions literally every foot Jerry.” She casually cut her thumb with a fang and pressed it too a black plate in the door. Instead of popping open, Charley could hear the work of metal as the door pushed out and he could see the large iron bars receded into the door as he passed into the room.    

There were coffins in this room as well, but each of these stood on their own altar and each was shinny and new. These were even larger than the ones in the previous room. “We would survive a nuclear blast in here.” Regine offered.    

Jerry nodded. This would do. He felt Regine’s faith in her creation and he trusted her to keep him and his child safe.

She went to the far back wall, and stroked her hand over a large shiny black coffin. “I had this one brought for you and your offspring. I figured as young as he is, you’d prefer to keep him close.”

Jerry nodded. He was beginning to feel the dawn rising himself. From behind him, he heard Regine’s young walk into the room, talking among themselves, though they quieted some as they saw them. Next to him, Charley was nearly limp with sleepiness.

Charley didn’t even protest as Jerry picked him up. He rested his head on Jerry’s shoulder and closed his eyes. He felt a momentary stab of surprise that he trusted Jerry to put him in a safe place and not toss him into the sun. He didn’t know when that had happened, but couldn’t strum out the energy to sort it out, instead he let himself fall into the awaiting abyss.

Jerry felt the moment Charley dropped off. He paused.

“He trusts you Jerry. He knows you’ll take care of him.”

Jerry nodded but couldn’t make the gibe comment he wanted, so he said nothing as he maneuvered into the coffin and then carefully arranged Charley. He shut the lid, after listening to his sister’s instructions and wishing her a good rest. Certain Charley was asleep, he wrapped his arms around the lithe form.


	2. Chapter 2

One moment Charley was gone and the next awake. He still wasn’t used to the suddenness of it and it took him a second to grasp the fact that he was awake. He blinked slowly and noticed the lid was still shut on the coffin, that never happened. Jerry always woke before him and left the lid up. He pressed against it. It didn’t budge. Panic leapt up his throat. He started to breath faster and raised his arms.

“Charley, it’s alright.”

It wasn’t until he spoke that Charley realized he was still laying on Jerry. He was at once embarrassed and confused.

“These coffins are special, not like any you’ve used. I want to teach you how to open it, should you find yourself in it without me.” It wasn’t likely but Jerry liked to cover the bases. “The coffin is air tight when shut and the seal must be released before the lid will lift.” He took Charley’s hands and slid them down the sides of coffin, “feel the buttons. When the seal is engaged, no human can open the lid without using power tools and even then, it would take hours. Push the buttons at the same time.”

Charley quickly pressed and immediately heard the seals release and the lid rose a little, he pushed and the lid lifted. He quickly jumped out. All five of the other coffins were already open and from what he could tell empty. He took a deep, though unneeded, breath.

He felt Jerry approach before the hand descended onto his shoulder, “You okay there, guy?”

Charley nodded.

“Good. Regine’s set aside a room for us.”

Charley nodded and followed Jerry up and into the minion room, which was empty as well. Charley was glad. He wasn’t interested in hanging out with vampires. Jerry seemed to know exactly where they were going. Charley looked around, unless he saw someone then he looked down, not eager to bring attention to himself.

“Here we are,” Jerry threw open the double doors and Charley could see his and Jerry’s luggage, but not Amy’s. He sighed. He wished she was here, she always took some of Jerry’s attention from him. He wondered where she was and then wondered if he could ask and get an answer. “Where’s Amy?”

Jerry scowled, why was _his_ child always asking after that insignificant minion. He centered himself. He would not get angry. “She’s with the others like her. They’re having sport in the basement of the house.”

Charley paled further and bit his lip. He knew what that meant. He’d walked in on Amy ‘having sport’ before, he’d gotten sick at the sight. Sick and hungry and then guilt ridden for days. He glanced at Jerry, he looked the happiest Charley had seen him, happy and calm. Therefore, not likely to blow up at him, however that could change at a moment’s notice. Jerry started to remove his shirt and Charley froze, the blush beginning to work across his face. So Jerry was in that type of mood. Charley swallowed, trepidation and anticipation twisting in his gut. He never had before Jerry and now, even though they had, it was always daunting and yet so good.  

Jerry threw his shirt onto the bed. He turned towards the bathroom, they didn’t need the light, but he flipped it on all the same. He knew Charley would appreciate it, even if they were the scariest thing in the dark, Jerry had noticed the boy liked lights.

Jerry finished undressing and started the shower. He didn’t have to look back to know Charley was still dressed, blushing and looking anywhere but towards him. It was endearing, and Jerry knew Charley had no idea what a lovely picture he presented when he acted so innocently. “Charley.” He sing-songed and knew the boy would come.

He checked to make sure the water was good and turned back to the boy, who played with the edge of his hoodie, the tips of his ears red. Jerry resisted chuckling, he hadn’t let Charley shower alone since being turned and yet this display every time. “Into the shower Charley.”

Charley nodded and slowly got undressed. The shower was a walk-in and he’d never been in one that wasn’t above a tub. The doors were glass and he was suddenly very happy Amy wasn’t around to watch. She’d just laugh at his humiliation and beg Jerry to be rougher with him. It was just, as he watched Jerry soap up the fluffiest wash cloth he’d ever seen, he realized that Jerry had ignored her. He’d been so consumed in his mortification and humiliation that he’d never noticed how actually kind Jerry was to him. Jerry washed his hair without pulling. He even held Charley’s eyes away from the spray though it wouldn’t hurt him. Charley let Jerry move him as he wanted, as he always did, but for the first time he realized Jerry was being careful with him. He thought back and realized not once, not one time, had Jerry even argued with him when Charley was naked.   

Jerry had never shared a bed, a shower, or a coffin with Amy even after she’d begged. Charley had thought her lucky, but now. He wondered for the first time what it’d be like to be ignored by Jerry and if he would still think it was lucky.

He waited until Jerry’s attention was on his own hair before he thought about what to say. He couldn’t look Jerry’s way but at least he could think without Jerry’s hands on him.

“You wanted Amy.”

Jerry scoffed. “I wanted you and you wanted her.”

Charley frowned. Jerry’s sounded like he was repeating something he’d said before and knew he wouldn’t be heard, and maybe Jerry had said it before and Charley couldn’t listen. He just remembered being so furious and terrified, but he heard it now, he was confused, but he was listening. “She’s a minion.”

“She is.” Jerry rinsed his hair.

“I’m not.”

“No, you are not.”

Charley nodded at the glass. The water turned off and while Charley wanted to run and grab a towel, he waited until Jerry wrapped the first around his waist and a second around his shoulders. In the past, Charley had only noticed that Jerry was naked longer not that Jerry covered him first. Jerry wrapped a towel around his own waist and Charley stared at Jerry’s chest as the man dried his hair.

“What am I?” Charley asked the chest and the towel on his head paused.

Jerry opened his mouth to say Charley was a pain but after a moment said softly, “You’re my child.”

“That means you wanted me?”

“Yes Charley.”

“Even though I was trying to kill you.”

“Yes Charley.”

“Huh.”

“Indeed.”

Charley followed Jerry, drying himself off more as Jerry looked through the luggage. He caught the clothes Jerry tossed him. Jerry always picked his clothes and Charley didn’t care as everything Jerry handed him was soft and comfortable. Even though Jerry had seen him naked, hell he’d handled everything, Charley still pulled the underwear up under the towel and quickly got dressed. 

He waited as Jerry took his time. Straightening his shirt, scoffing at the wrinkles, “We need servants, Charley my boy. Servants you will not be killing, I can tell you that.” Jerry found his belt and laced it quickly. Perhaps Regine would be kind enough to loan him a couple of minions until he could find a servant. Amy was worthless at most all home needs. He found his best shoes between his shirts and pants, “Damn minion.” He dragged them out.

“You don’t like Amy more than me?”

Jerry looked up, still angry about his shoes, but his anger died at the sight of Charley standing in jeans, his bare toes curling in the carpet, one of Jerry’s older shirts hanging long over his t-shirt. “No Charley, I do not like Amy more than you. In fact, I wouldn’t keep the thing around if you didn’t care for it so much.”

Charley nodded thoughtfully.

Jerry tossed him some socks. “You don’t have to wear shoes if you don’t want to. I know you prefer just socks.” Charley was surprised Jerry had noticed. When they left the room, Charley’s shoes remained on the floor.

Charley could hear Regine’s voice before he saw her. She was at the center of a large cluster of vampires, her hair in a long braid. A purple silk robe flowed around her, brushing the floor as she moved.  “We’ve got a lot to do my lovelies, please see Belle for your assignments and no slacking off.” She flowed close enough and the circle swiftly opened for her to hand Jerry a large mug, “first of the deliveries.”

Jerry took the mug and tasted it as his sister continued directing her house. It wasn’t fresh, but it was hot and edible. It was much better than he’d feared. He supposed between this and what he fed the boy, Charley would be fine, “Here, it’s donated blood.”

Charley took the blood and immediately his fangs dropped at the smell of warm type B. He heard what Jerry said and nodded as he drank. He looked up to Jerry once the temptation was gone. “Donated?”

“Yes, no deaths were involved,” At least none Charley needed to worry about, “You may have as much of it as you like.”

Charley smiled, he liked the idea very much. He looked down to the mug, “Um, could I?”

“I could show him.”

Charley looked to Belle and smiled, he turned back to Jerry, who nodded with a tight smile. “Then back to me.”

Belle hadn’t shown him the kitchen the night before and Charley didn’t know what he’d been expecting but a normal albeit fancy room wasn’t it. Though he didn’t know what he had been expecting. Belle threw open the door of what Charley realized was a walk-in panty and there, straight ahead on a table were, well they looked like the metal coffee machines he’d seen at a church, just a whole lot bigger. He thought they might be as tall as him, if he was standing on the table. There was a tap at the bottom of both and little lit red light. Charley could hear the machine’s humming. 

Belle tapped one machine, “hey ya go kiddo. Both are running and don’t worry, the delivery guy is on call, so eat your fill.”

He nodded and stepped forward to refill the mug he’d brought with him. Charley paused when he heard laughter, knowing the sound as Amy’s and then identifying it as coming from a vent next to the table.

“Omg,” she said in that shrill laughing tone she’d picked up, “he acts like a freaked out little virgin every fucking time until Jerry’s giving it to him. Then he goes from virgin to whore. Jerry loves it, it bores me. I think he’s prettiest when he’s hurting. He flinches so prettily but Jerry babies him all the damn time.”

Charley flinched now and nearly dropped the mug. Belle caught it and filled it, setting it down on the table next to him. “I have to take care of something Charley, you take a second and go back to Jerry, alright?”

Charley had no clue how a vampire could blush, but he sure did. He felt his cheeks burn and couldn’t look at Belle as he quickly nodded. He heard Belle leave and he closed the door, but didn’t shut it, leaving a small gap, so Charley could see he wasn’t shut in.   

There was some nervous laughter after Amy’s pronouncement and Charley didn’t want to guess who was down there and hearing this, probably the whole house.

“You had better be careful Amy, talking about a child of the line like that.”

Amy scoffed. “Jerry wanted me. Charley was just an afterthought. I’m just as much Jerry’s child as he is.” She sounded so certain.

“God you’re a dumb bitch,” a male voice interrupted. “That boy is the _child_ of an Elder. Master Jerry’s only child. You’re just another fucking minion, like the rest of us.”

“No,” Amy sounded angry and Charley cringed at the sound. Amy angry was something Charley had learned to be wary of. She’d had a temper in life and it had only gotten worse as a vampire. “Jerry loves me. He gives me whatever I want. I am no simple minion. I’m his child. He made me first, before Charley.”

“You actually believe that?” the male voice questioned, “that you, a minion, are just as important as a child.” He laughed, “you are in for an un-life of disappointment.”

“That she is.”

Charley jerked and whipped around to see Jerry standing at the pantry door. Jerry looked annoyed and Charley knew it wasn’t at him. He also looked (Charley studied Jerry, who still stood at door) concerned and Charley knew that was for him. At that moment he felt so alone and betrayed by Amy, who he thought loved him and so far away from his mom’s love. Jerry was all he had. Jerry wanted him. He sniffed at the hurt and launched himself at Jerry.

Without thought, Jerry wrapped his arms around his upset child, he felt Charley’s hurt, pain, and even his sadness, missing his mother. It was so odd and possibly most interesting thing he’d felt in centuries. Then, after processing Charley’s feelings, he realized Charley had come to him for comfort. In the past Charley had retreated, hidden himself when in pain. Jerry wasn’t sure what the right way to comfort him was, but he felt Charley calm as Jerry attempted it.

“That minion goes too far Jerry.”

Charley felt Jerry nod and glanced up to see Regine. She smiled at him kindly. Then Jerry’s fingers were back, combing through his hair and Charley dropped his head back to Jerry’s chest.

“I’ll take of it.”

That sounded final and while Charley was hurt, he didn’t want her dead. He felt Jerry sigh. The breath moving his hair more potent because they didn’t need to breath but to talk really.  Another breath, “Oh Charley, very well.” He patted the boy as he looked to Regine, “call the house. I’ll try a public reminder first.”

Regine would just dispose of the thing. A minion that didn’t know it’s place was worthless to the house, but she could understand catering to a child’s past and knew Charley would take its death hard. Why put the child though undo pain if it could be avoided? Yes, Regine understood and knew exactly what to do. “A wise decision brother leave it to me.” Jerry nodded, and she retreated.

They stood a few more moments until Charley became self-conscious and backed away. “Please don’t kill her.” He asked the floor as he went back for his mug.

“I will not end her, but it takes a lot to dispatch a minion. So, she can take a lot and it may take that much before she recognizes the lesson she is to learn.”

Charley picked up the mug, still hot, thankfully and took a deep sip. He thought about it and realized if Amy didn’t get it, Jerry or Regine would kill her and there would be nothing he could do about it. Still he finished the mug and set it to the side of the machine for later before he was able to bring himself to say, “I understand.”

“Good. Let’s get this done.”

It turned out another door in the kitchen led down into what Charley thought might be the basement but like the rest of house it was not what he’d been expecting. There was a huge main room, with three doors along each of the two longer walls. The room was white marble with yellow within, but slick, the floor felt like a slip and slide beneath his feet and the there was a faucet and drains against the walls, like the whole room could be rinsed and washed. He brushed his hand against wall and it felt slick.

Charley froze when he looked to the other end of the room. It looked like the whole house was there. He swallowed, he’d never seen so many vampires together. Regine sat in a chair that could only be called a throne, four smaller but equally fine chairs, sat two to each side. Belle sat in the one to Regine’s right hand and he winked, which didn’t do much to calm Charley’s apprehension, but he appreciated it. All others knelt on the floor on either side of the thrones and none of them lifted their heads or recognized their arrival.

“Elder Jerry, my brother,” Regine’s voice curled down the room. “Would you accept my Belle as your assistant? That our youngest might watch and learn.”

Jerry knew what Regine what was saying, and he appreciated it, there was every chance that Charley would become upset. This way gave him the opportunity to dampen Charley’s awareness of what exactly was going on. Something he couldn’t do if Charley was to take an active role. He leaned down and met Charley’s eyes and cupped the back of his neck, feeding calm into his child, smiling when Charley relaxed, and his eyes slightly glazed. “Go take Belle’s seat guy. It will all be alright.”

Charley nodded and made his way down the room, his socks slid against the floor, making it seem as he nearly floated. Belle stood and offered his seat, before striding down the room to join Jerry.

Charley looked as the middle door to the right flew open. Amy stormed in followed by two more minions, who quickly released her and joined the other minions kneeling on the floor.

“Jerry! What is going on?” She made her way quickly to Jerry, attempting to grab his arm.

Jerry scowled and shifted his arm from her grasp. “Kneel Minion.” He barked and because she was only a simple minion, she knelt.

She stared up at him with sorrowful eyes. “Master,” She stopped, not sure herself where the word had come from, but it felt so right, and she scowled, because it was a minion word and she was not, could not, be just minion. She was special. A slap regained her attention.

“I have been far to lax with you as you hold Charley’s affection. Allowed you far too many privileges because frankly I didn’t care what you did. You mean little to me outside of Charley’s affections, which at this point is the only thing sparing your life.”

Amy couldn’t, wouldn’t hear what Jerry was saying. It couldn’t be true. She shook her head in denial and mute appeal.

“It is not my benevolence which has kept you well fed and in finery, but Charley’s and you dare mock the hand that offers you that kindness.” He growled, she groveled onto the floor. “You are nothing. A minion and barely that. I gave you just enough to turn.”

“Sire!” She howled.

Jerry grabbed her from the floor, by the neck, shaking her. “I am your Master, never your Sire. Only one has the right to call me Sire and you, are not he. Continuing to fancy yourself above your station will end in a stake.” He threw her to the floor, “I am done with her. Belle,” he turned to the dark vampire, “you know what to do. I tire of her and only want her to heed. She is not worth my attention.”

Belle bowed his head, “I understand Elder and will make sure she understands.”

Jerry nodded and stepped around the groveling crying figure on the floor, neatly avoiding the hands that reached for his legs and then stepping on a hand that didn’t retreat.

Regine stood. “I agree brother. Belle can handle this. It deserves no more of the houses attention.” Regine turned to the three of her children, “you may stay with Belle and learn under his tutelage or go the upper levels, your choice my darlings.”

Jerry only cared for Charley, who glanced up at him with wide eyes.

“I promise Charley, she’ll live, but hopefully wiser. Come along,” He offered his hand.

Charley stared at Amy as he passed, trying to convey something, but she growled at him, which earned her a shove from Jerry’s foot, sending her sliding across the floor. Jerry wrapped an arm around him and moved him along.

TBC- Thank you so much for the encouragement, it really means everything.


	3. Flashback 1: Things to do

Flashback: 1   

The police said Ed’s body was found in an ally.

Charley hadn’t known what Peter had done with him. Hadn’t wanted to know really. He’d know Ed was dead, but it still didn’t seem real until it was too real. Until Ed’s funeral. It was like the whole thing had been a dream or a nightmare really. But then it wasn’t a dream or a nightmare, it was Ed’s mom crying and Ed’s dad looking sad.

They say he was stabbed in the chest, which Charley figured was accurate. They also said he’d been robbed, which Charley hoped meant Peter had dropped his wallet. 

He went back to school and everyone told Ed stories like they had been his friend. Charley got a lot of pity and cut a lot of slack. Amy had clung on his arm like a pressure cuff.

All which kind of faded as the month had worn on.

The kid’s stopped talking about Ed and the teacher’s started to expect homework from him again.

Peter stopped returning his calls as fast, sure he still called back, but it was short and mostly about Peter’s renewing his show.

Charley understood all that, could even pretend Ed died in a car accident and that all this was normal.

He wanted to but Amy.

“He just had a way about him, you know?” Amy sighed. “So worldly and suave.”

Charley didn’t respond. These days he felt more like a sound-board for Amy’s love for Jerry than her boyfriend. He just rolled his eyes and said the same line he’d said for the past month. “He’s dead, Amy. He’s not coming back.” He said it for his own sake as much as to remind her.

She scowled and hit him with the back of her hand. It didn’t hurt but Charley was getting sick of it. She hit a lot, she always had but it was becoming more pointed. He sighed as she hissed. “I know that. Don’t you think I know? I was his chosen bride.”

Charley rolled his eyes. Somehow Amy had twisted Jerry’s very real vampirism into some kind of romantic movie love.

“Think of the places he’d been. That he could’ve taken me.” She sighed and rolled over.

“You sound like you didn’t want him to die. He was murdering people.” Charley scowled but didn’t get up from the bed where they laid together.

She turned over and look down on him. “He was more than that and he had to eat.”

He sat up, pushing her off and pushed off the bed completely. “He had to eat, what’s wrong with you?” He leaned in and hissed at her. “He killed Ed, Amy.”

Amy sat up. “But he didn’t Charley. Peter killed Ed.” Her face turned bitter, “You have no idea what it was like to be something more than human. He chose me Charley. He loved me and now he’s gone.”

Charley grabbed up his backpack, “I’m gonna walk home.”

She took off her top and his eyes caught on her black bra. She used to wear all white bras, the change still made him pause. Before Jerry it was all above the waist, we need to wait, but Jerry had changed all that. Well sort of, she still wouldn’t have sex with him even if she had with Jerry, but everything else was now fair game. Sadly, after waiting so long, the bjs were half the reason he hadn’t left her altogether.    

She pouted up at him, “Oh, come on Charley.” She slipped her bra off, “Let’s play some and I’ll drive you home. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She licked her lips and the backpack slipped from his shoulder.

Oral sex was still better than no sex even if she pulled his hair too much when it was his turn to please her and he wasn’t even allowed to touch hers.

By the time she drove him home, Charley felt beat up, his hand rubbing where she’d bitten him, after he’d asked her not too. Still he was the one who got her turned into a vampire in the first place. Dealing with the changes in her because of it was something he felt he had to do. He thought maybe as time went on the changes would lessen he hoped so.

“Hey, there’s someone at Jerry’s house.” Amy chirped, sounding way to interested and excited.

Charley glanced that way, usually he avoided looking over there when he could. Sure enough, there was a car and a guy standing in the front yard.

The man turned their way when Amy pulled her car into his driveway and instead of dumping him and leaving, she parked as he got out.

The guy headed their way, he had long brown hair and a leather bomber jacket that had seen better days. It was the middle of the day, so Charley crossed off vampire, but guy did not look like he belonged in a suburban neighborhood.

Once close enough not to yell the guy said, “Hey kid, one of you know where your neighbors at?”

Charley shook his head. He decided long ago, nearly a month and half ago, to just say he didn’t know anything about Jerry or his whereabouts.

“Who are you?” Amy demanded.

“Why hello to you too, little lady.” The guy smiled towards Amy. “I’m the guy who’s going to start packing up this house, if I don’t find Jerry. Who are you?”

Amy scowled. “I’m Amy, why would you pack up his place? How do you know he’s not on a vacation or something?”

The guy shrugged. “Is he on vacation Amy? Do you know where he is?”

Amy looked away. “No, I don’t know.”

He nodded. “Good enough.” He looked back to Charley, “I’ll be here at least the next week if you think of anything.” He turned and walked away from them.

Charley quickly started towards his front door, wanting to get away.

Amy followed him, “They’re just going to clean his house out? I don’t know, that guy doesn’t look like an official anything. Maybe we should call the police. He didn’t even give us his name. I think something fishy is going on.”

Charley didn’t care. He didn’t care if the guy was just robbing the place blind. “I am not calling the police.”

“Well we should do something!”

Charley walked around her and grabbed a carton of milk from the frig. “Are you being serious right now? Do you even hear yourself? We are not calling the police because someone _maybe_ robbing the house of the guy,” he leaned in close to her and hissed, “we killed.”

“You killed,” she shot back, “I think you should’ve tried working it out with him first.”

Charley just blinked at her, “You were turning into a vampire, by sunrise you wouldn’t have been able to turn back.”

“Did you ever think that maybe I didn’t want to turn back!” Amy screamed at him, her eyes full of tears. She left, the door banging behind her.

Charley stood, leaning against the counter, carton of milk in his hand even as he heard Amy’s car peeling away. He put the carton back into the frig and sat on the floor, banging his head back against the cabinets.

FNFNF

If they cleaned out his house, it meant he was really gone. Amy sniffled as she stroked the dress laid out her bed. The beautifully expensive dress Jerry had given her. She’d felt so powerful, so much a woman in his arms. For a moment it seemed like she could have the whole world and then it was gone.

Now plain Amy with aspirations for college wasn’t enough. Not when she’d seen there was so much more. She didn’t want a career, or children, she wanted glamour, excitement, fancy dresses and even fancier parties. By Jerry’s side she could’ve moved powerfully through the world, could’ve gone anywhere and not feared.   

She ate dinner and nodded at all the right places as her parents spoke to her. But the dinner tasted like ash in her mouth and she didn’t even remember the homework she told her parents she had done.    

Afterwards she asked to go to Charley’s. It was a school night they said, but she promised she wouldn’t be long, and it had been such a while since she’d asked to go anywhere. Be back soon they said, she promised and left them with a kiss.

She parked down the street from Charley’s, where he wouldn’t be likely to see her car. It was just getting dark and she hoped the guy wasn’t still at Jerry’s house. He wasn’t, and she walked up Jerry’s lawn on the far side away from Charley’s house. She didn’t know how she was going to get in. Just that she needed to. She knew she had to let this go and decided letting go would be easier with a permanent reminder that it was over. She thought maybe she could get some of Jerry’s ashes. Maybe make a memorial to him and that way she could remember him and remind herself that it was over.

The back door was open. Another reason Amy figured that guy wasn’t legit. It didn’t matter though, she would get what she needed and move on. She would make herself strong without Jerry and without Charley too. She was going to dump him. He was just another reminder and sometimes looking at him made her so angry. She didn’t like that, not about herself, but she didn’t feel she could stop. So, Charley had to go, for both their sakes.

The house hadn’t changed, it still looked nearly the same as when Charley had sprinted her out. There were some boxes in the front room, she ignored them. She decided she would grab one of Jerry’s shirts after she got the ashes.

She knew exactly where the ashes would be and the remembrance of that much agony and rage made her stomach roll and her mouth bitter. She made her way down into the basement of the house and towards the wreckage.

“Amy.”

She paused, not certain if she’d actually heard her name or if she was remembering.

“You’ve come back to me.”

The sultry tone made her shiver and she turned. There he was, a little gaunt, but whole. He was alive, her whole body quivered. “Jerry,” She breathed, “Jerry.”

He smiled, his teeth sharp. “Hello Amy, have you missed me?”

She nodded and moved towards him as if reeled in by an iron chain. “Yes. Oh yes, Jerry.” She brushed her fingers over his face.

FNFNFN

Charley scowled, muttering as he walked back into his house. “Mom, Amy didn’t come. Can you give me a ride to school?”

Honk-honk

Charley looked out the window to see Amy’s car. “Never mind,” he grabbed up his bag and jogged out the door. He quickly hopped into the car, barely getting the door shut before she was pulling out of his driveway. “I didn’t know if you were coming after yesterday.”

She shrugged but didn’t look away from the road.

Charley looked out the window. “Um, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Charley shrugged. “I don’t know, upsetting you.”

“You could make it up to me.” He turned to look her way and she glanced at him, but then back to the road. “I need you to come with me. I think if I could get some of Jerry’s ashes I could move on.”

Charley stared at her with wide eyes. “Amy, I’m not going back in that house.”

“You have too!” She snarled at him, grabbing his leg and pinching.

“Amy!” He shrieked, “look where you’re going!”

Amy causally adjusted the car into their lane, waving her middle finger at the car that honked as it passed. She took a deep breath. “Charley please help me. If you do this, I know I’ll be a whole new woman.”

Charley scowled. He wanted to help, he really did, but damnit, he never wanted to go into that house again. He sighed, “let me think about it.”

After that, she wore on him, every opportunity to talk to him for more then 5 minutes led to that same, “I thought you loved me, won’t you help me?”

“Fine-fine I’ll go.” To his credit he had lasted nearly a week. He stood up from the bed, buttoning his pants, rubbing at the bruise she’d left right on his hip bone. “I wish you’d stop with the hickeys.”

“Big baby,” she laughed and sat up smiling. “Now?” She stood up and quickly pulled her clothes on.

“Now, ah,” He was hoping to put it off just little while longer, “what if that guys still there?”

“I already spoke to him.” She shrugged.

Of course, she had.

“He said I could have anything that wasn’t of value, but he’s been working the whole week. I want get there before he’s done, and he’s got a truck coming Saturday.”     

Charley closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Yeah ok.” He didn’t want to show her how absolutely terrifying he found the whole idea.

She practically picked him up and carried him to the car. “Come on slow poke. You don’t still want to be in there when the sunsets?”

He scowled. “Not funny. Let’s just do this.”

He knew they were going to Jerry’s, so he didn’t expect her to park in his driveway, though he would’ve preferred it, but, “why are we parked on the street, so far back?”

Amy shrugged with a smile. “Oh, come on, do you want your mom to see me parked at your house and us not be there? Or at Jerry’s where we’re not supposed to be?” She turned to look at him still moving as she smirked, “Or just not see the car?”

“Fine.”

She was waiting with a grinning bounce when he reached the door.

“Are you sure this will help you?” Do you even need me to go in,” he looked around, thankful the sun was still up, “I can wait out here?”

She leaned forward grabbing his hand and met his eyes, “Please come with me Charley. I need this. I can’t take this step without you.”

He sighed and leaned around her, opening the door. He stepped in after her and paused. “Hey, wait, maybe I should run home and grab some, stuff.”

She laughed. “Charley, we could be out of here by the time you go home and what, whittle a stake?”

He didn’t want to admit he still had some, so he shrugged and kept following her. Of course, she went directly to the basement. Charley froze on the stairs and tried to stop himself from shaking as he followed her. By the time he reached the bottom her couldn’t see her, “Amy?” She didn’t appear, “Amy this isn’t funny.”

Charley screamed before he even realized why he was screaming, there were arms around him.

“Charley.”

The voice from his nightmares whispered into his ear. Charley twisted, trying to break free. He clamped his eyes shut as he was yanked around, nearly falling trying to keep his feet under him. Then his feet were dangling in the air, he kicked and knew he was hitting Jerry’s legs, but it made no difference. He swung his arms but hit nothing but air.  

A finger touched his nose, “Boop.”

In shocked surprise Charley’s eyes flew open and looked straight into Jerry’s.

“Stop Charley.”

He froze, his rapid breath the only sound. He gasped out something like, “ple…”

“Sleep.”

Jerry easily swung the sleeping boy into his arms. He lifted him, so Charley’s soft breath was at his neck. A week of eating well had finished the healing process, he was actually feeling pretty good. He glanced down, but let it not be said old dogs couldn’t learn new tricks. He’d made the mistake of playing with Charley because he was young, and Jerry thought himself invincible. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“See Jerry, I got him for you.” Amy stood up.

“You did, well done.” He carried the boy up the stairs, turning at the doorway so Charley’s feet didn’t hit. There was only one room in the house still set up. Well it held a bed and rug, which was good enough for his needs. Jerry placed the boy on the bed.

“Everything ok, boss?”

Jerry glanced at the long-haired man. “Fine Louie.”

Louie nodded. “Good-good,” he winked at Amy, who looked away. “Right. The full moon is on Sunday Boss, so I gotta have you on your way before then.”

“We will be, just make sure the car arrives.”

Louie tapped his forehead with two fingers, a slack salute. “Sure thing.”

Jerry nodded, but didn’t pay Louie any mind, his eyes, the whole of his attention was on the boy. His boy. Charley.

“Jerry.”

He glanced down to the girl pulling at his arm.

“I’m ready to rejoin you.” She tossed her head back, frankly it looked ridiculous.

Jerry sighed, debating. Minions, he’d made a million of and perhaps having her around would make Charley more amenable. She might even be able to help him with Charley. The extra blood couldn’t hurt. It wouldn’t take much to turn a minion and he might need it for Charley. “Of course, my dear.” He took her hand. Jerry didn’t waste his time on niceties. He didn’t need to, she’d had dreamt up her own. There was no resistance and with a little swoon she was laid out on the rug, the change running though her veins. There was no need for thrills to make Charley jealous this time, no more games.

He had tried to remember everything he knew about making a child. He’d been thinking about it for days. Jerry sat at the edge of the bed, taking breaths he didn’t need, taking in Charley’s scent. This would tie him to someone. Charley would be his. His in a way no one else ever had been. Charley would his progeny, to teach, to give the history of their line. He reached out and touched a lock of dark hair. Charley would be HIS. Jerry centered himself and looked around the room. There was nothing wood in the room, the windows and door locked. The bed iron and way too heavy for Charley to tamper with. There was a dim light in the corner, he’d have to keep Charley from there, the curtains would block the light. He’d have to keep Charley from those as well.  

“Awake.”

Charley blinked and sat up. “Where?” He looked around, saw Jerry and back petaled off the bed and on to the floor. The fall barely registered, he kept backing away even as Jerry made his way around the bed. “No. No. You’re dead.”

Jerry shrugged. “Mostly dead. You did quite a number on me guy.” He didn’t walk closer, waiting to see what Charley was going to do.

Charley swallowed thickly, “Where’s Amy?”

“Over there,” Jerry waved towards the other side of the room.

“Is she, again?”

“Oh yeah, but you can’t blame yourself. I would’ve been fine changing her memory and letting her go. She wouldn’t have it.”

To Jerry surprise, Charley nodded, “Yeah, ok.” He actually believed Jerry. Charley stood up slowly, watching Jerry but he didn’t move. He looked around, Amy laid on the rug. He’d known if she had the opportunity she’d pick this. Charley took stock, he had nothing, no weapons, and he couldn’t see anything that he could even use as one. He wasn’t getting out of this and honestly, he was too scared to think. “Um, are you going to kill me now?”

Jerry shook his head and Charley’s terror racked up. “Oh my god, are you gonna torture me? I’m sorry. Please I’m sorry.” He backed into the wall, wishing he’d fall through.

Jerry tilted his head. He’d never seen Charley look so much like the child he was. He took a step forward not sure what he was planning to do, but Charley flinched back. He stopped. “I’m not going to torture you.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you remember when I offered you the chance I never had Charley?”

Charley nodded.

“I think you know, we’re passed that point now.”

Charley shook his head. “No. Really, I could forget all this really.”

Jerry smiled. “Charley, your memory would be swiss cheese.”

“And I’m ok with that.”

“But I’m not,” Jerry stood.

“I don’t want to be like Amy.” She had been so mindless last time, crazed.

“You won’t be.” Jerry stepped closer.

Charley knocked harder against the wall. “Please. Please don’t.”

“We don’t have anymore time Charley. You can fight if you want to but it’s going to happen.” Jerry moved swiftly. When Jerry wasn’t playing with him Charley had no chance at all. He found himself sitting on Jerry’s lap on the bed, his wrists in one of Jerry’s large hands.

Charley fought but there was no give in Jerry’s hold. He cried and screamed, trying to twist away, but he felt Jerry’s lips at his neck and then the fangs. Jerry felt the fight drain out of the boy with his blood, until he was slack in his arms. Jerry relaxed his hold, “Charley, listen to me, do you want to die?”

Charley shook his head a little, but it hurt so he whispered. “No.”

Jerry gathered himself. “Good.” He raised a claw to his throat, he never fed anyone he’d turned from his throat before. He didn’t hesitate, this was the way to get Charley, all of Charley, and he had no doubts about that. He pressed Charley’s mouth to the wound and waited, one second, two, three, just as he began to worry. Charley latched on.

Charley didn’t think, he did, and it was heat, bright, and sand. He saw a jackal and gold. He felt things, affection, for him. He saw himself through Jerry’s eyes and he felt Jerry’s desire and possession. He flew upon what seemed like forever, rain and sandstorms. There was just so much. Jerry was so much. Jerry wasn’t even his first name, so many names, so many places.

Jerry took a deep breath and tried not to overwhelm the boy in his arms. They had time, so much time for Jerry to show him, to teach him. His hand curled around the base of Charley’s neck. He was far past the point of anything he’d ever given. This much of himself, of his blood. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced and just like his sire had told him, Jerry felt the exact moment Charley became his. He’d never felt anything like this with any of the minions he’d made. He felt Charley’s thoughts, his emotions, the poor kid was so scared. And just like his sire had said once he’d had enough Charley’s head fell limply back.  

He stood and laid Charley onto the bed. This wasn’t going to be good enough, he needed to see the changes. He knew Charley was past the point of sensing the outside world, his entire self would be concentrating on the inside, but the outside world was all Jerry could see. He quickly stripped Charley’s clothes and carefully put them aside. He saw the bruise on Charley’s hip just as it faded and glared at the girl on the floor.

Minions didn’t really change, their scars and marks of human life remained. The last time it had been his illusions that made Amy seem more changed. He wouldn’t bother this time. It had been only a way to torment Charley. “Charley, Charley, it seems its always about you.”

He’d never watched a child change before. It was like watching a butterfly…Charley’s skin lightened, scars, pimples, any imperfection gone as he watched. His hair didn’t grow, but became like black silk, almost navy within the strands. He lifted Charley’s eyelid and watched the yellow and green bleed into the brown. His muscles tightened, limbs strengthening. His Charley was perfection.  

“Boss?”

Jerry threw the blanket over Charley and turned with a growl.

Louie threw up his hands, “I feel ya man with the mama bear. Got ya, but I gotta get a time frame.”

Jerry closed his eyes and forced himself to calm and to think. Children took longer to complete the changes. Amy might be awake in a couple of hours. Charley perhaps not till tomorrow night. Jerry sighed, “the limo?”

“Is here and ready to go. I’ll pack up the rest of this and send the truck to the storage in….”

“Washington State.”

“Very good choice, Washington State boss.”

“Have you checked the limo over?” Jerry ran his fingers over Charley’s hair, nearly petting the boy.

“Not yet but I will.” Louie came closer, “Aw he’s a cutie boss. Not exactly my type but still real pretty boss.”

Jerry straightened, “thank you Louie.” He glanced over to Amy, “how long have we been up here?”

“It about 9:30pm.”

Jerry stood from the bed. “Really?” He couldn’t believe it had been that long, it’d been hours. Charley curfew was 11pm and the boy was always home close to that. He strolled over to the rug, she must be near completion, or near enough to be useful. He knelt down, “Amy, rise.”

She blinked up at him, “Master?”

He stood. “I need you to go with Louie.” He turned from her, even as she reached for him. “Feed her what’s left of that woman. Quick and without mess.” He went to the window and glanced towards Charley’s house, “We’ve got things to do.”


	4. FlashBack 2: lost in Vegas

Hunger ripped through him, he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, HUNGER. Something within him growled.

From far away he heard but didn’t understand. “Jim come here and silence please.”

Charley felt the movement close to him and opened his eyes. He saw the skin, felt the warmth and knew somewhere it was a person, but that didn’t seem important, that didn’t sink in. What sank in was the hunger. It ripped at him, tore at his reason, at his thoughts.

A flash of nails, “feed Charley.”

He struck and growled when the food tried to move away. He locked his arms around it.

“I’m going to need you to hold still Jim, as you can feel my boy is very hungry and I don’t want a mess.”

Jerry watched carefully. He wanted to make sure Charley’s first feeding went well even if the boy wouldn’t remember it. Jerry would. It was exhilarating to watch. Charley, sweet Charley, drank as if famished. It was the first sign of Charley truly belonging to him. The man stared at him with horror filled eyes as Charley drank him dry. When Charley finally released him, rolling over and going back to sleep, there wasn’t enough left to even make a minion. Jerry grinned, it was a nice start.

FNFNFNFN

Charley stretched, rolled his shoulders and arched his back, he sighed and blinked. Then blinked again but it didn’t change, this wasn’t his room. 

He sat up and the memories kicked in with frightening speed. Jerry. He looked around, no Jerry, he felt his neck, no pain. He could feel raised skin, but no pain, felt like scars. He looked around the room. This wasn’t Jerry’s house either.

It was maybe a hotel room, but Charley had never seen one like this. The place was huge, he could see a room beyond this one. One whole wall of the room was covered with a curtain, he slid off the bed, (largest one he’d ever seen) and quietly, looking around, crept to the curtain. Charley went to the middle and tugged lightly, pushing a section aside and stared. It was night but so bright, so many lights and cars and people, but mostly lights.

“Welcome to the Mirage.”

Charley jumped, turned and nearly fell. “Jerry.”

“You alright there, sport?” The dark vampire leaned against the bedroom’s doorway.

Charley nodded. He glanced back towards the window, “Where are we?”

“Las Vegas.”

“Oh,” Vegas was a long way from home, “Am I dead?”

Jerry sauntered into the room. “Only as much as I am.”

Charley watched Jerry, it was habit now, to watch Jerry and see what he was going to do, but there really wasn’t a point now. He was already dead. He looked back out the window. “I don’t feel like a blood sucking fiend of the night.”

Jerry laughed, “Guy, you’ve watched too many movies. I think I’ll curb that for a bit.”

Charley raised an eyebrow, “Huh? You’re going to monitor my viewing habits?”

“I should, why your mother let you,”

Panic, “my mom!” He blinked, fighting back the tears, “did you hurt my mom?”

Jerry raised his hands. “She’s fine, alive and well. I didn’t touch a hair on her head.”

Charley believed him. He felt the truth, which paused him for a moment. He felt that Jerry hadn’t hurt her. He knew it. “She gonna look for me.”

Jerry leaned against the bed. “She woke up this morning and found a note. It said you and Amy ran away to experience the world. She’ll call the police, as will Amy’s parents, the police will come and talk to them. But I think we both know the police are not going to put a lot of manpower on runaway teens. Especially as Amy’s 18 and you’re 17. Legally she’s got the right to leave and you’re close enough not to warrant an outcry. They’ll find Amy’s car at the bus station and that’ll be it. Your mom will be sad and upset but always feel like you’re okay and doing well. She’ll be fine kiddo.”

“You did that, made sure she’ll feel okay?”

“Yes.”

Charley nodded and knew it was true. He turned to the window as he wiped his arm sleeve across his eyes.

“Come here.”

Charley turned from the window, “Why?”

Jerry frowned, “because I told you to.”

Charley stood his ground. He felt the suggestion to do as Jerry asked, but it was just that, a slight suggestion, easily ignored, “but why?”

Jerry rolled his eyes. He could force Charley to do as he asked but would take more energy than he’d ever had to put into the compulsion before, “Because I’m asking you to.”

“Are you going to hurt me?”

Jerry grit his teeth, but the shock of actually feeling a burst of sharp fear, made him catch a breath he didn’t need. He stared at Charley and swallowed at the strangeness, the raw feelings that tugged at him, “No Charley.”

 Charley watched him but slowly moved closer. He stopped just outside Jerry’s arm distance, “Ok, I’m here.”

Jerry curled his finger in a come closer motion. He felt the edging up of Charley’s apprehension. Charley took another step and Jerry sighed, “Charley, you belong to me. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Charley scowled, “I don’t belong to anyone.”

Jerry grabbed his arm, “That may have been true as a human, but you are no longer human. You’re my vampire.”

“I don’t feel like a vampire. I feel like me.”

Jerry rolled his eyes but wondered how Charley would take the observation that human Charley would have never come close to him or allowed his arm to be held. Jerry walked him to the mirror where no one showed up even when Charley tapped it.

“Huh. Okay.”

Jerry shook his head, with a small grin, this kid. “I’m going to cast an illusion onto the mirror, so you can see what you look like.”

“How do I know you’re not casting an illusion now? So, I think I’m a vampire.”

Jerry bit his lip, trying to temper his amusement. Now that Charley was his, Jerry found he quite enjoyed Charley’s quick mind. At least he wasn’t going to be bored. Jerry used a nail to make a small cut to his own wrist. 

Charley’s hand flew to his face, “oh fuck.” He cut his finger on his own incisors, which were long and sharp. He licked the blood from his finger and watched the cut heal. He glanced at Jerry’s now healed wrist but there was a line of blood. Jerry lifted his wrist and Charley licked it before he had a chance to think about it, “Eww, I just licked your wrist.”

Jerry chuckled, “Here look.”

Charley looked in the mirror and saw himself. He certainly looked like a blood sucking fiend of the night. Black eyes with glowing depths, lots of sharp teeth, claws, still it wasn’t the changes he’d seen on Jerry and when he questioned, Jerry laughed and explained his ability to glamour. The changes faded, and he looked like himself, sort-a, he leaned in closer. He looked different, but he couldn’t say how, his eyes used to be brown but now had green and yellow in the mix, his skin…he was different. Not human. He turned away from the mirror, “I believe you, make it go away.”

Charley walked around the room. He spied his duffle and his back pack, “You got some of my stuff?” He knelt down and opened the bag and found, well stuff he would have wanted but not what he needed, “who packed this?”

“Amy, she assured me she got what you’d want.” Jerry walked over, “he could sense the panic, but couldn’t see a reason.” He knelt down and felt the addition of fear with the panic. “Charley, what’s the matter?”

Charley bounced to his feet, “Where’s Amy?”

“She was getting ready to leave.”

Charley took off.

Jerry followed and found Charley blocking Amy’s way towards the door.

“Where is it?” Charley demanded.

She grinned with a teasing smile, “What?”

“You know what,” Charley glanced towards him, but then to her.

Even Jerry could see him digging in, whatever this was he was willing to fight her about it.

“I can’t say I do,” She tried to go around him and scowled when he remained in the way, “I don’t have time to play with you, some of us haven’t eaten.”

Charley paled and his panic more pronounced, “wha…huh? I…”

Jerry stepped in before Charley could fully grasp what she was saying, “Amy, do you know what he’s talking about?”

“Well yeah, but,”

“Get it,” His tone brokered no argument and she pouted but gave none. She flounced past Charley and into the other bedroom. She returned, throwing a gray thing towards Charley, “there. Look at him. I told you, he’s a baby. A child.”

Charley dropped to his knees to catch it.

Jerry growled towards her, “Go, now, and remember everything I told you.”

She nodded, “Of course, Jerry.”

Jerry walked around until he faced Charley. He didn’t approach as he was wary of breaking the peace. He lightly used his foot to turn chair and sat. “Charley.” He rubbed a hand over his face. He had to remember no matter how brave, how strong Charley was, he was still a child. Charley was not a minion. He wouldn’t lose his humanity and become whatever Jerry wanted.  

Jerry folded his hands and starred at the boy sitting on the floor, with tears in his eyes, and a stuffed elephant wrapped in his arms. He probably should have chosen someone older as a first child instead of an actual child. However, the idea of giving up on Charley, well that wasn’t a fucking option. He’d seen Charley’s fire, his willingness to see what others couldn’t and his bravery. Losing one’s mortality threw every vampire for a loop, he himself had been a mess for several years after his turning. Charley was his and they had time, all the time Charley needed.

“Charley,” He leaned forward, only for Charley to screech, misjudge his own speed and hit a wall opposite. Jerry winced, at least it wasn’t the damn window. He stood.

Charley stood, shaky but unhurt, “It’s, ah, please don’t take it away. It’s,” he blinked slowly as his shoulders dropped. “It’s not the stuffed animal really. Please don’t take him. My mom, I took it to camp when I was a kid, it’s got a lock of my mom’s hair, some of dad’s ashes, and a picture of the three of us inside.”  

Jerry raised his hand. “I have no intentions of taking it from you. I will even insure Amy leaves it alone as well.”

“Thanks.” Charley glanced at the door Amy had gone though. “Did I? I remember…Jim?”

“You have to feed Charley. That is not negotiable.”

Charley didn’t really remember it, just flashes, but it was enough. He’d killed someone because he was a blood sucking fiend and would again because he was way too chickenshit to kill himself. He walked back into the bedroom and looked around the room. It was nearly all white with blue trim, why wasn’t there any blood? Maybe it hadn’t even been here. He walked towards a chair in the corner and then behind the chair, he sat in the corner, the elephant next to him. If he rested his head against the wall he could see between the curtain and window. There were so many neon lights, it was so bright, like a neon daylight.

Jerry followed and stood before the chair. Amy had a fake ID (and hadn’t that been a surprise to learn human Amy had a little rebellion in her). ID fake or not, something about a minion gave humans a twinge of danger and maturity that they usually perceived as age. However not being a minion Charley lacked that. Everything about him invited people in, but that also meant he wouldn’t be able to pass as older. Not until he was mentally old enough to age himself by perception.

“Why doesn’t Amy look different? She looks the same, no long hair or changed eyes. I’m more different looking than her.”

Charley didn’t even look his way, still angling his head to look under the curtain.

“Last time was an illusion.” Jerry glanced out the curtain but saw nothing of real interest. They’d only be here tonight. He wanted to offer to take Charley out but, unlike a minion, he couldn’t control Charley and a new child among humans was asking for bloodshed. He stood and opened the floor to ceiling curtains wide. He snagged the chair in front of Charley’s corner and pulled it easily but slowly away, to in front of the glass, nearly touching. “Here.”

Charley studied him and the chair, before deciding it was safe enough and taking it. He rested his head against the glass and stared around with wide eyes.

Jerry sighed. This was going to be a work in progress for some time.

Charley squinted at the people, amazed by what he could see. “Do you know where Amy went?” Maybe he could catch up with her, find out why she pulled that shit with Ellie. Amy knew how much the thing meant to him.

Jerry smirked. Even if he could trust a newly made child with the human populace, there was no way he was letting Charley out alone. “It doesn’t matter where she went. She has her instructions. However, unless you want to hunt, you’ll be staying here”, he smiled, “do you want to hunt Charley?”

Charley shook his head. “No, no, hunting needed.” He didn’t even touch the thought of why he wasn’t hungry.

Charley relaxed into the chair as he realized Jerry was just going to stand around. He folded his feet underneath himself and got comfortable. However, in doing so, he realized he didn’t have shoes and the shirt he was wearing wasn’t his. “Where’s my shoes?” He looked down to the shirt, “And my shirt,” the size said it could only be Jerry’s.

 “Your shirt was damaged.”

Charley didn’t want to know how. Jerry continued without telling him which Charley appreciated.

“I threw it away. Amy packed a lot of things, but clothing wasn’t high on that list.” Jerry walked over to the bed and swept up a pair of shoes up. He looked them over with disgust. “You do have these, such as they are.”

Charley glanced to the bag. She’d grabbed the important stuff, but he didn’t see any clothes. Great he was going to be a naked fiend of the night. Wonderful, he was going to get arrested for indecent exposure and then blow-up in the jail cell.

“Really Charley.”

Charley sung his head around with wide eyes. He hadn’t said anything.

Jerry hadn’t actually read Charley’s mind, couldn’t get his thoughts but sensed the embarrassment and guessed. Guessed well if Charley’s response was any indicator. Jerry chuckled as he went to the desk and picked up the phone. “Concierge. Yes, thank you. Good Evening, I need a two weeks’ worth of clothing. No, a teen boy, whatever the latest fashions for that age group. Shoes as well. No need, the airport didn’t lose his bags, his mother sent him to me with nothing. Yes, well, nasty divorce. Tonight. Of course, money is no object. Yes, hold on,” Jerry pulled the phone away. “What size are your shoes?”

Charley stared, “Um 10.”

Jerry nodded and returned his attention back to the phone.

Charley listened as Jerry correctly gave his clothing sizes. It was a little weird, as Charley had no idea how he knew them.     

“I would be most grateful.” Jerry hung up the phone. “There, you should be set by morning.”

Charley nodded. “Are we staying here?”

“No, this is a stopping point. We leave in the morning.”

Charley’s head turned to follow his moments. “In the morning, how?”

“A specially equipped limo, it brought us here. It’s safe.” Jerry hoped Charley would see this unwavering answering of questions as a start of trust between them.

Charley nodded and looked back out the window.

Jerry took a chair further back and watched his child watch the Vegas night.

“Jerry.”

Amy’s voice jarred Charley away from the window. He couldn’t even say how much time he’d spent staring, entranced by how far he could see and how vibrant colors, the details were. He left the window and passed Jerry at the desk, he was writing something and didn’t seem interested in seeing what Amy wanted.

Charley left the bedroom to see Amy just coming back out of the other room. She frowned when she saw him, “oh it’s you, where’s Jerry?”

He nodded towards the bedroom he’d just left, and Amy took off. He touched her arm, feeling it slide away beneath his hand, he grasped her arm, which stopped her cold.

She looked down at her arm and flexed. “That actually hurts.” She seemed surprised. “What do you want?”

“Why did you pull that with Elle earlier?” He was relieved more than anything now, but he had been angry.

She smiled but it was more of a smirk. “I was just playing with you Charley, don’t be so sensitive.” She tried to yank her arm away but wasn’t able to until Charley loosened his grip. She scowled at him, confused but put it out her mind as she went to find Jerry.

Charley followed her. She draped herself over Jerry’s back. “Oh, it was lovely. I did exactly as you said.”

Jerry shifted, shrugging her off. “None died.”

“Not a one Jerry. I took a little from each and they’re all still alive.”

Charley moved closer, “Can we do that, just take a little? Leave people alive?”

Jerry turned to him, “Amy differs from you. She has my control to lean on for support. You however will have to learn to control yourself. It will take time and at first it will be neigh impossible, but in time you will learn.”

Charlie nodded and guessed that one was of the advantages Amy got from being Jerry’s chosen. He promised himself he’d learn no matter how hard it was.

Amy grinned at him from behind Jerry.

Jerry stood, his chair pushing Amy back, “Charley,”

Charley backed away, “I can learn.”

Jerry frowned, “I know,”

He was interrupted by the door and then Amy’s rush past him to get it. “Maybe it’s delivery for me or maybe just a delivery boy.” She giggled.

Jerry rolled his eyes, “Unlikely,” he followed, but turned back to Charley as he went. “Stay here.” He couldn’t imagine Charley would forgive himself for eating a delivery boy and decided it was best to not tempt fate.

Charley nodded and stayed in the bedroom. He told himself it didn’t matter. He could’ve listened in but didn’t until he was called into the room.

Jerry grinned and sent a rolling bag his way, “There you go guy. You should go ahead and check it out.”

Amy crossed her arms and pouted up at Jerry, “Why does he get new clothes and I don’t?”

Jerry sighed, “because you brought clothing. Quite a bit if I recall, whereas you packed none for him. You have no one but yourself to blame my dear.”

She scowled, “what about a new dress Jerry,” she leaned in, touching the collar of his shirt with a finger, “please. They have a shop downstairs. I could get something nice.”

Jerry lift her hand, glanced at Charley, “you know what my dear, you go right ahead.” He pulled out his wallet and handed her a card without looking.

She squealed and took the card, “Thank you, Jerry.”

She didn’t even spare Charley a glance before she left.

Charley stared after her. She’d left him again.

“Charley,”

He jerked his head to Jerry.

“Are you hungry?”

Charley realized how he stood, his arms wrapped around his middle, and it wasn’t until Jerry said something that he actually named the fire rolling up from his stomach hunger. He dropped his arms, “No.”

Jerry had been unsure how much Charlie would need after his change. He’d already drained one a couple hours ago, and he’d had some off of Jerry’s as well. Despite Charley’s dismissal, Jerry could feel he was hungry but not terribly so.

Charley grabbed the suitcase and quickly went to the bedroom. Jerry followed.

“I’m fine.”

Jerry went to the chair in front of the window and spun it, so it faced the room. He rolled his sleeves up higher and undid the buttons of his shirt.

Charley pretended all his concentration was on opening the suitcase.

Jerry leaned back in the chair and used a claw to open a small cut in his throat.

Charley froze over the suitcase. He turned and gracefully the hunger brought him to Jerry before he’d realized. Charley froze, “I,”

“Sire’s blood, it’s either this or we hunt. Your choice.” The blood slid down his neck and down his chest.

Charley’s eyes followed the trail, he licked his lips with a whimper. “I don’t want to be this.” Tears pricked at his eyes.

“This is only part of you, you’re so much more, you’ll see.” Jerry reached out and took Charley’s wrist, pulling him in. Charley didn’t resist until Jerry was pulling him onto his lap.

“No, I,”

“You will sit as I place you,” it was a quiet demand, but Charley didn’t have the will to fight the hunger which pulled at him more than the steel hold Jerry had on his wrist.

Charley forgot all about how he was sitting the second the blood touched his tongue. He moaned and wrapped his arms around Jerry’s neck but didn’t notice. The blood filled him in places he didn’t know were empty.  He wrapped it around himself, like a blanket and hid within.

Jerry moaned, feeling Charley wither against him. Besides Charley, he hadn’t fed anyone from his neck in centuries. The last Regine, before her his own sire, but it felt nothing like this. As if Charley was a part of himself, he felt Charley sink into his blood and what he found there.

Jerry’s hand ran from Charley’s side and down to the hardness between his thighs. Charley moaned and thrust into his hand. Jerry knew it was the blood, but didn’t care, at least not this time. He jerked Charley slowly, thoroughly enjoying the grinding of Charley’s hips. Jerry did nothing but supply his hand and the boy slowly worked himself into a frenzy. Charley frantically jerked his hips, sucking desperately at his neck until he shuddered, licking Jerry’s neck as he came.

Jerry’s neck healed, and Charley realized what he’d done. Embarrassed, humiliated and terrified of the blood, of himself, of feeling Jerry’s hands. He scampered from Jerry’s lap and to the same corner he’d chosen earlier, this time his head buried in his arms. Though he made no noise, showed no sign of it, Jerry could smell his tears.

“You belong to me. There is no shame in enjoying that or the feelings that arise from it. There is no need for embarrassment or shame. You are mine. You have no privacy from me.”

Charley wanted to scream at him. He was his own man. He didn’t belong to no one. But Jerry knew where his mom lived and where Peter was. What did it matter what Jerry did or said to him? He was already dead.

He was dead. He was never going to have a job, a family, or even a driver’s license. He was dead and if he didn’t want to be deader or have his mom join him, at the very worse Jerry could decide Charley wasn’t worth the trouble and ditch him. Charley had no idea how to take care of himself or how to even control himself. He would be a danger to everyone. He would hurt a lot of people and then die and as cowardly as it was, he didn’t want to die.

He needed Jerry.

Charley slowly stood up. His clothes felt gross. It wasn’t the first time he’d come in his pants, he was a teenager, didn’t mean he liked the feeling. “Can I take a shower?”

Jerry stood, and Charley hadn’t even raised his head but flinched back all the same. “Yes. Take something from your suitcase with.”

Charley nodded. He nearly broke the suitcase and reminded himself he was stronger now and would have to be more careful. The clothes were nice, really nice, nicer than his mom could afford. There were none of the dress shirts and khakis his mom preferred either. There was a really soft hoodie, tee-shirts and jeans, boxers (which he had never worn before) and socks, and a box with brand new shoes. A pair of blue Nikes, he’d never had Nike’s before. They were nice. The tags had been removed and they looked already washed. Towards the bottom there were plain white tee-shirts and sleeping pants.

Charley turned and nearly dropped the clothing. Jerry stood in the doorway of the bathroom, arms crossed, over his shirtless chest. He was still wearing his pants, but the belt hung open. Charley could see the bathroom behind Jerry and heard the water running. “I can wait if you want to take a shower first.”

Jerry rolled his eyes, “Don’t be ridiculous, get over here.”

Charley didn’t think he was being ridiculous at all. He didn’t say that though, he walked over with heavy feet.

“Come along Charley. The hotel may have enough hot water to do this all night, but I do not have the patience.”

Charley looked everywhere but at Jerry as the vampire undressed. He jerked back when Jerry attempted to help him, “I got it.”

He waited until Jerry was under the water before slowly taking off his shirt. He eyed the door, thought about running, but where would he go? He went to the far end of the shower and yelped when Jerry grabbed him, pulling him forward and under the water.

Charley was too mortified to listen to what Jerry said, to frightened of what Jerry wanted from him to backtalk. He let Jerry just move him around and clean him. Then stood with his eyes closed, Jerry dried him while still being naked. He took the clothing when Jerry handed them over and quickly threw the clothes over his damp skin.

He quickly left the bathroom, “Hi Amy,” she stood in the middle of the room glaring at him. He looked over the metallic blue dress she wore, “You look nice.”

She huffed, “nice?” Her huff turned into a smile as Jerry entered the room with a towel wrapped around his waist. She twirled around, “Jerry?”

Jerry shrugged, “Very nice. Card,” He held out his hand.

She huffed and pulled the card from the top of her chest and handed it over, “You don’t like it?”

Jerry looked her over, “You look lovely my dear.”

She smiled with a sigh, “Thank you.” She waltzed over to Jerry and grabbed his hand, “Let’s go dancing, we’ve got a couple of hours till dawn.”

Jerry let her dance around him. He glanced to Charley in his pjs, he looked fine, but Jerry could feel he was scared and overwhelmed, “Allow me a few moments with Charley and to get dressed then we’ll dance.”

She frowned at Charley, “fine. I’ll fix my hair.”

Charley didn’t look until Jerry was dressed and said, “Come along Charley.” Charley followed him into the main room. Jerry went to a cabinet, which he threw open, showing a tv, “Here ya go guy, watch some TV, none of that vampire stuff.”

Charley was pleasantly surprised. He took the remote and curled up on the couch. He almost thought Jerry was going to lock him in somewhere. This was much better.

He jumped when Jerry threw a blanket over him, he hadn’t even realized he wanted one until he was curled up beneath it. He inched back when Jerry knelt down in front of him, “Don’t open the door or leave the room, do you understand?”

Charley felt the push of Jerry’s words and nodded, “I have nowhere to go.”

He hadn’t meant to say it, but Jerry didn’t seem upset, he just stood, “No, you don’t.”

Charley nodded but didn’t completely relax until they had left and Peter’s voice spoke to him from Fright Night.

“I said none of that vampire crap.”

Charley blinked and realized he’d fallen asleep. He saw Jerry turning the TV off and rubbed his eyes as he sat up.

“I don’t know how you can be tired,” Amy announced, “I have so much energy I can’t stand it.” She bounced on the couch next to him, proving her case.

“His change was different from yours,” Jerry said, coming into the room with Charley’s suitcase and another large black one that must have been Jerry’s. Charley noticed Elle sitting on top of Jerry’s and Charley’s new shoes sitting on his.

Charley wondered what the differences were.

Amy grinned, “I have you to lean on Jerry. I can feel you, hear you.”

“Yes. You have no need to learn restraint because I give it to you. Charley will have to learn.” Jerry went back into the bedroom.

Amy leaned in, “He loves me. He chose me. You’re just the extra so you’d better learn fast and not give him a reason to get rid of you.”

Charley nodded, fearful she was right.

Jerry emerged from the bedroom on faster feet, looking to them on the sofa, “what’s wrong?”

 “Nothing Jerry.” Amy smiled.

Charley shook his head.

Jerry looked between them, “Amy gather your things.”

She bounced up and out of the room. Charley stared after her. She just seemed so different. She’d always spoken her mind, but she seemed meaner now. Charley put on his new shoes and shoved Elle into his suitcase.

“He doesn’t even have to get dressed,” Amy waved a hand towards him.

Charley looked down at himself. Maybe sleeping pants and tee-shirt wasn’t good enough. Jerry and Amy were dressed.

“He’s fine,” Jerry barked.

Amy flinched.

Jerry paid her no attention, pushing his suitcase towards her, “Take this down to the garage.”

She quickly grabbed it and went out the door.

Jerry sighed, “Alright guy let’s go.”

As it was just before dawn there was no one around. They passed a maid and Charley stopped, she just smelt so good. Jerry’s hand on his neck got him moving again.

In the garage a large limo was waiting, a beautiful woman in leather leaned against it.

Jerry nodded his head in recognition, “Get into the limo Charley.” Charley did as he was told. Jerry looked back to the woman, “Thank you Mazikeen. I appreciate this.”

“You’re welcome. Don’t make it a habit. Did you get what you needed?” She inquired.

“I did.” Jerry answered. “You remember what I said if anything goes wrong during the trip?”

“Nothing is going to go wrong. This thing is basically a tank on wheels, could survive a hit from a bomb.” She patted the hood. Her pats strong enough that a normal car would have easily dented.

“However, if something should,”

She scowled, “It won’t,” he raised an eyebrow, “but if it did, my priority is the boy and then you. What about the girl?”

Jerry shrugged, “Once the boy is safe and I have secured myself. If there’s time for her.”

She shrugged, “I don’t save minions.”

“Then she’d better hope nothing happens.”

She smiled, “I guess so. Night Jerry.”

“Safe driving Mazikeen,” He nodded to her as he climbed into the limo.


	5. Flashback 3: Traditions

Charley looked around. It was night and it would’ve been pitch black but for the light of a billion stars. He looked down at the wooden railing he held and further down to the dark water, lapping at the side of the boat. He turned and realized he had to be asleep, but this didn’t feel like any dream he’d ever had.

“And who might you be?”

Charley whipped around to see, a pirate? Or maybe a Viking, he had long blonde hair and a long beard with braids. The man was a human bear, huge, hulking almost, but his smile was kind and crinkled his eyes with mirth.

“I’m Charley.”

“Charley, huh? Well Charley, I’m Len.” Len stroked his beard. “You gotta be Richard’s.”

“Who?” Charley sat on some boxes and watched Len, who lean against the boat’s opposite side.

Len chuckled, “So not Richard’s. I figured he’d be the only one who’d dare. How old are you Charley?”

“17.”

Len sighed almost mournfully, “Too young and yet, here we are.” They were silent.

Charley swayed with the boat. He’d never been on a boat. He thought he might like to try it.

“Spilt milk now,” The man mumbled to himself. He swayed forward but didn’t come closer. “You’re not Regine’s usual type.” He looked Charley over closely. “But you aren’t Regine’s, are you?” He stood and moved closer, “You’re a very pretty boy, but there’s got to be more to you than beauty, there’d have to be,” Len attempted to take his chin.

Charley ducked back with a growl.

Len blinked, “I’ll be damned. You’re Keraunos’.”

The name sounded familiar, Charley had never heard it before, but he knew it. “Kera’unos?”

Len scowled, obviously thinking, before he grinned, “Jerry? He goes by Jerry now. He’s your Sire?”

Charley wasn’t sure what Len meant by Sire, “He made me into, ah, this.”

Len looked him over, “I didn’t think he’d ever. Well Charley you are most welcome to the family. I can’t wait to meet you in person.”

“Ah, thank you?”

Len laughed.

Charley looked back over the water, “Where are we?”

“The Mediterranean Sea,” Len moved to where Charley sat, “This is what it looked like 2,000 years ago.”

Charley looked around. The sky was so clear, the stars so bright, it seemed he could almost reach out and touch them, the water black and calm, “Wow.” Charley glanced to the man standing next to him, “You saw it then?”

“I did.”

“Jerry did too, didn’t he? When he left Egypt,” Charley knew it was true even if he didn’t know how he knew.

“He did,” Len looked from him to the water, “He must be supplementing your feedings with his own blood.”

“Huh?” Charley looked to Len, “He said it was his blood or hunting.”

“And I take it you’re against hunting.”

“Yes.”

“That maybe problematic for you.”

“Don’t I know it,” Charley scowled.

“I take it you didn’t choose this,” Len sat on the stairs leading up to the wheel.

Charley shook his head and before he knew it, he was telling Len the whole sorted story.

Len nodded and questioned here and there. At the end he said, “Charley, I can guarantee you Amy is wrong. I’m positive there is nothing you could do that would make Jerry get rid of you.”

Charley wasn’t sure. He glanced over the water to see the first speck of light.

“That’s us Charley. See you later kiddo.”

Charley awoke wrapped in something and being carried. He kicked his feet, heard someone swear, and then yelped as something burnt across his ankle.

“Hold still Charley,” He heard Jerry call out.

“I’m not gonna drop your boy Dandridge. Get in the house you daft vampire. I ain’t gonna, damn,”

“Give him here.”

“Here then, take him and get in the damn house, still too much sunlight for you.”

Charley felt Jerry take him and then the push of air as Jerry sped, then he was on the floor, both he and Jerry pulling off the blanket. 

Charley looked around the dark room as Jerry grabbed his foot, “Hold still guy. Let me take a look.”

They were in an old house. Charley could see strips of light from between the curtains. He hissed as Jerry touched his ankle and looked down at nasty looking burn across it.

Jerry sighed, “Fuck, don’t worry, your resistance to sunlight will improve.”

Charley tilted his head back and closed his eyes with a hiss. He wanked his head down as something wet hit the burn. Jerry was holding his foot and bleeding onto his ankle. Charley tried to pull his foot back, but Jerry had an iron grip and it actually stopped hurting. He watched as the blood seeped into his skin, taking the burn with it. “Thanks.”

Jerry nodded and patted his leg.

The house was cluttered and dusty, mostly dark and weird. Bones, that he hoped were animal, hung from the ceiling in the corner. There was a some kinda picture drawn on old cream, nearly yellow, wall in gold marker. And the books, there were books everywhere. 

“Eww,” Amy came into the room, “this place is so weird. What are we doing here Jerry?”

Jerry gracefully stood and turned towards her, “Do not be rude,” He stretched a hand down and helped Charley up.

“Yeah girly, don’t be rude.”

Charley recognized the voice as the man who had tried to carry him in.

He was heavyset man, who looked to have muscles under a layer of fat, with wild gray hair and tattoos darkening his arms. He shoved some books over and made room for his coffee. He glanced up, scowling at Amy, “I am not your dinner, girly. You put those fangs away or I’ll yank them out.”

She looked at Jerry, who glared and gave her a mental slap that had her cringing back, “Continue to be rude to our host and I’ll let him. It would be most painful.”

“Mn-hmm,” the man agreed, searching around and grabbing some books, “You picked a good time for it Dandridge. With Mardi Gras startin’, we got the tourists everywhere. Louis will be by after sunset, but ‘dey knew you were comin’.” He threw open a book, searching down it. “Should have you set in roughly a week.”

“Good enough, thank you Lebeu.”

Lebeu nodded, dragging over another book. He picked the book up and went towards the door, “Dandridge can I trade some words with ya?”

Jerry followed Lebeu, shutting the door behind him. Lebeu led him a few feet away. “You know I ain’t got no problems with the boy, but the minion.”

Jerry raise a hand, “say no more. I would never expect you to house her. I’m hoping to have accommodations.”

Lebeu gave him a considering nodded, “Well that’s fine then.”

Charley glanced at the door, he could just make out the mummer of Jerry’s voice. He caught movement and turned to see Amy dump some books from a chair onto the floor. She scowled at the dingy seat, sweeping it a few times with her hand, before she sat down and growled as the dust the rose around her. Charley turned away, so she wouldn’t scream at him for smiling at the dust cloud.

“Charley?”

“hmm,” he glanced at some the books, most weren’t in any language he recognized. Curious, he looked over the stacks.

“Charley?” She barked.

Charley glanced at her. “What?”

“What were you doing in the shower with Jerry?”

Her voice was deceptively calm, but Charley could hear the anger and jealously.

He had tried not to think about it. The reminder made his face flush, “Nothing Amy. I didn’t even want to.”

She scoffed, “Of course, you did.”

Charley shook his head, “I, Amy, I don’t want Jerry. He’s all yours.”

Amy frowned, “Please. He made us. I hear him,” she brushed her hand over her chest, “I feel him. All I have is a want to please him. I can nearly feel his hand at the back of my neck guiding me, inciting such feeling within me.” She sighed, nearly a moan and brushed her hand down her body.

Charley tilted his head, studying her, trying to examine what he felt. He wanted Jerry to teach him, accept him though it didn’t feel like what Amy described. He could feel Jerry and he felt comforted by that, but he didn’t feel like Jerry was guiding him, “I don’t, it isn’t like that for me.”

Amy frowned, “Too bad. It’s perfection. It’s complete belonging, love, and lust.” She looked him up and down, “Maybe you turned out wrong.”

Charley was afraid that might be the case.

“Or maybe he just wanted me more. In either case you’d better try to please him. I’d hate to see you tossed out or,” she shrugged, “something worse.”

Charley nodded, distracted and returned to the books.

Amy tilted her head. Charley had always been cute. It was why she’d put up with him in the first place. He wasn’t cute anymore though. His t-shirt did nothing to hide his lean lines and with his red full lips against perfect porcelain skin, his large eyes, and thick dark hair. He was beautiful, a male snow white. She laughed, which caused Charley to glance her way, but he didn’t ask. She wondered why her own changes weren’t as profound this time.  Then consoled herself with Jerry’s reassurances that they weren’t needed as she was already perfect as she was.

Amy could remember caring for Charley. She could remember everything and yet, how it felt, that was gone. She could remember her parents, remember that she loved them, but she no longer felt love for them. Every feeling she had was now Jerry’s. Jerry, who looked Charley’s way, which churned jealously and rage within her. Yet laid over that was this need, to make sure Charley was not cast out. It was like a steel band laid over her emotions, unbreakable, no matter how much she wanted Jerry to herself she could not overcome that band to actually make it so. It left her in a state of wanting to protect Charley and equally wanting to see him suffering.

Jerry wanted him. He’d said so. He also said Amy was not allowed any type of physical relationship with Charley. Amy liked to think this because he didn’t want his fuck toy to spoil her. She didn’t blame him for wanting Charley. It was in their nature to have sexual relationships with those they turned. She instinctively realized this. Beside he was so very beautiful now, she would’ve been tempted. Perhaps Jerry having Charley would satisfy the part of her that wanted make sure he was accepted. And if Charley hated it, she smiled, all the better. She would ask Jerry to watch.

She leaned back into chair, her smile not affected by the dust around her. “Charley,”

He looked up from the book he’d been pursuing.

“You should do your best to please our maker. Certainly, you know that.”

“Yes,” Charley frowned, he wasn’t stupid he knew Jerry was his only way to survive, to learn how to control himself, “I know.”

“Did you please him in the shower?” She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Charley scowled, face lowered to the book, “We took a shower. That was it.”

“And do think that pleased him? I think you’re going to have to work much harder than that.”

Charley shut the book, “What?” He shook his head, “I, no, Amy, please.”

“I think you know what he wants from you. I’m simply telling you not to fight it. You belong to him. Your body is his to take.”

“But I don’t,”

“I don’t think that matters. Do you?”

Charley guessed it didn’t, but he was embarrassed and scared. Scared of the act itself and embarrassed of the part of him that craved Jerry’s attention. The confusion of it made him flinch from the thoughts.

“Charley?” Jerry came through the door, frowning around the room. He saw nothing that would cause the unease he felt from his child, he looked to the minion. It was becoming a disturbing trend. Perhaps making the minion was a mistake.  

Amy smiled at Jerry, standing and swaying her hips as she came closer. “Jerry can we go now?”

Jerry held out his hand, Amy immediately gripped it, but Jerry didn’t look at her. “We have business to contend to before we leave. Retake your seat Amy and stay there.” He released her hand and walked past her to Charley.

Bang!

Charley simultaneously whipped his head from Jerry and towards the noise, jumping back in surprise.

Lebeu looked up from where he’d dropped a stack of books onto the floor, “Sorry kiddo.”

Charley nodded, took a deep breath, and then covered his mouth with his hand, “Sorry.” He didn’t remove the hand as he spoke, still trying to recover.

Lebeu chuckled, “No worries kid. I earned that flash of fang.” He dropped another stack onto the floor.

Charley jerked when Jerry’s chest brushed his shoulder, “Calm, Charley.”

Charley nodded, as Lebeu finished uncovering the table, “Alright Dandridge, I’m to old to get down on the floor, but I can still handle leaning across the table. Good enough for the chant.” He brought a wooden box to the table. The box looked ancient and covered in symbols. “I think we should go ahead and get the markings done. Gonna be lots of vamps in the area, we don’t want any mistakes made.”

Jerry nodded, “Likely a wise call.”

Lebeu grumbled an agreement, opening the box, “Where do you want him marked?”

Charley’s eyes widened, “Who? Not me, I don’t need a mark.”

Amy leaned forward, interested. Jerry was going to mark Charley as his property.

Jerry rolled his left sleeve up to just above the elbow, there right before the bend was a mark. It nearly blended with his skin. Charley didn’t know what it meant, the mark didn’t make any sense, at least none he could understand. It was nearly a picture, elegant and yet powerful. He looked up to Jerry, the idea of all those needles. He trembled under the heavy hand Jerry wrapped around the back of his neck.

Lebeu nodded, “Your first and you’re not going to break from tradition?”

“I think not. It’s a tradition for a reason.”

Amy stared. If Jerry had such a mark, then surely it wasn’t a property mark and she would have to get one of her own, “What does it mean?”

It was Amy who asked, yet it was Charley’s head he bent towards. “It signifies your family line as one of the oldest. For those who can read it, this mark tells a whole story, that I’ll one day explain, but not today.”    

“Lebeu readied the ink, “Well hold him still, I’m not as young as I used to be.”

Jerry sat, bringing Charley with him, and while Charley glanced around he didn’t fight his placement on Jerry’s lap. He’d learned that lesson and arguing in front of someone else certainly wouldn’t help him. Jerry wrapped an arm around his waist, with the left he took Charley’s wrist arranging them so their arms laid side by side. Charley’s wrist lay across Jerry’s palm, his fingers locked around, an unmovable force. The hand around his waist rubbed his side, “Shh, Charley, you’re alright. This will heal as he’s working, it’ll be quick, fleeting.”

Charley nodded and took a deep breath as the man leaned over his arm. He flinched but his arm didn’t move thanks to Jerry. The way Lebeu leaned over him, Charley couldn’t even see what he was doing, but he heard Lebeu chanting the whole time, rhythmic and low. He dropped his head back against Jerry’s shoulder. He breathed in time to Jerry’s hand petting his side.

“You gonna tell him he don’t need to breath like that?” Lebeu said, as he leaned back.

“No,” Jerry replied, “it calms him, and the habit doesn’t bother me.” 

Lebeu chuckled, “I do believe sirehood has already changed you.” He leaned forward again, rubbed something cold and wet across his arm, leaning back, “And we are done.”  

Charley looked down, and then between his arm and Jerry’s, the designs were slightly different. Charley traced the lines and intertwined loops, looking at the similarities and differences. He found the difference and traced it twice, “K, for Keraunos.”

Lebeu blinked and Charley could clearly see his surprise, “You got yourself a smart one.”

“Yes, I do,” Jerry shook Charley slightly, his arm tightening in a hug, the other wrapping around him as well, and the brush of Jerry’s lips against his temple.

Charley felt embarrassed, pleased with himself, and then quickly horrified with himself.

“I believe it’s my turn.”

Charley looked to Amy, who looked less than happy.

Lebeu kicked out the chair next to him, “Sit girly.”

Amy scowled, “Jerry?”

Jerry nodded to the chair, “Sit.”

She dropped into the seat with a whined, “Jerry?”

Jerry ignored her, “The usual.”

Lebeu sighed, “I know, tradition. Head forward girly.”

“What?” She had laid her arm onto the table.

“Marks are different in respect to place within the House. Your mark needs to go on the back of your neck,” Lebeu pushed on her head, she threw off his hand and looked across the table.

“But Jerry, I want to be marked as you are,” She couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t let Charley go and come to her side. Or why she had to be different. She hoped once Jerry fucked him, he wouldn’t be so attentive to Charley’s every move. Even now Charley was staring at her from where she wanted to be, wrapped in Jerry’s arms.

Jerry raised an eyebrow, “Do you believe yourself above our traditions? Submit.” He had no more patience for this minion and all the emotions she invoked in his childe.

She had a fleeting thought to add more but the mental weight Jerry threw upon her, lowered her head.   

Charley glanced down to his mark and then to Amy’s. His own mark was brown, stark against his pale skin but not nearly as standout as the black Lebeu used on Amy. Her mark seemed incomplete, as well, it didn’t have the K, or even the mark Jerry’s had, it was blank there.

“It’s a mark of the House,” Jerry said softly.

Lebeu barely mumbled as he did Amy’s and it was done quickly.

Charley didn’t like it. It looked so harsh in the black color. It didn’t seem right without the K and he wondered why she didn’t have one. Unless the K marked him as Jerry’s property and the lack of the letter meant Amy was her own vampire. Then why would Jerry have a letter? It was confusing.

Lebeu repacked his box, pausing as a knock on the door rattled through the old house, “That’d be for you Dandridge. Damn vampire going to knock the door in one of these times.” The man grumbled.

Jerry smiled as he stood, setting Charley into the chair. He looked between Charley and Amy, “Remain here and cause no trouble for Lebeu.” Jerry didn’t wait long enough for them to answer.

“Well what’s it look like?” Amy demanded, she turned so he could see the mark.

Charley looked to Lebeu, who was no help, and back up to her, “It’s nice, Amy, decorative.”

“Does it look like yours?” She ran her fingers over it, even as the red faded.

“Ah, sort of,” He wondered why it took her longer to heal, his had healed nearly immediately.

“Damn Charley you are no help,” She scowled at him and then dismissed him. She frowned at Lebeu, “do you have a mir,” she caught herself, “damn-it.”

“Charley, come here.”

Charley jumped from his seat at Jerry’s call, “I gotta,” he waved a hand towards the doorway. Thankful to be away from Amy’s anger, he took off without listening to her reply. He wandered to where he hoped Jerry was and found him in a kitchen with someone else. The other was a man, even paler than Jerry, Charley could see his veins. He was as tall as Jerry, with long brown hair and greenish-yellow eyes.  

“Charley, this is Louis.”

Charley glanced up to Jerry then to Louis, confused but agreeable, “Hi.”

Louis smiled, “Hello Charley,” His hand reached out but dropped before it touched his cheek. “He’s so very young, reminds me of,” He shook his head slightly, physically throwing off a thought that looked to be painful, “when they’re brought across so young. They can’t always care for themselves as an adult would. Keep that in mind Jerry, he will always need you.”

Jerry wrapped an arm around Charley, “I know Louis. I have accepted that, however he is far older than she was.”

Louis nodded, “Yes, yes, he is.” He shook his head slightly, coming back to himself with a smile, “As I said I’m leaving New Orleans and you may of course make yourselves at home within my townhouse.”

“Thank you, Louis,” Jerry was thankful Louis’ affection for the very young had not abated. He had no such fondness for minions as far as Jerry knew Louis didn’t even make them. From what Jerry remembered, the other vampire found minions repugnant. Hence, he didn’t mention Amy. Besides it wouldn’t matter, now that he’d met Charley, Amy’s staying at the townhouse would be politely ignored.

Jerry and Louis continued to speak, but to Charley it wasn’t anything interesting. It sounded like when his mom talked to someone she had to be polite to but didn’t really like. As soon as Jerry let him go, Charley wandered away, looking around the room. He lifted a candy bar, wondering if it tasted the same.

“Don’t,” Jerry interrupted himself to bark at Charley.

Charley tossed the candy in his hand, looking it over, “What would happen?”

“You’d be sick as a dog, throw it up everywhere,” Lebeu announced as he came into the room, “And I’m not cleaning it up, so put it down boy.”

After Lebeu’s announcement Charley couldn’t put it down fast enough, “But I saw Jerry eating an apple?”

“Fruit and very rare meat, that’s the extent of the human food we can eat.”

Charley looked at the candy bar sadly, “bummer.”  

Louis chuckled and both Jerry and Lebeu seemed surprised, turning and measuring the chuckling vampire. Louis waved them off, “Dandridge, exactly how old is he?”

Jerry smiled, “Only a couple nights.”

Louis chuckled again, “Please feel free to stay in the townhouse as long as you need,” His chuckles trailed off and seriously he said, “Keep him from the community.”

“I had planned to,” Jerry seemed duly serious as well.

Louis nodded. They returned back to their previous conversation, which lost Charley’s attention rather quickly. Until he heard Louis mention hunting.

“I don’t want to hunt anyone…at least not kill them. I’m going to learn to leave them alive,” Charley tossed the comment out offhandedly.

He looked up to watch Louis laugh, “Dandridge you sired a pacifist?”

Jerry seemed amused as well, “I am aware of the irony.”

Louis looked to him, “It takes time to learn. Do not get discouraged. It is both a useful skill and a worthy one. I myself do not kill.”

Charley moved towards the other vampire, “You don’t.”

“No, not for a long time,” Louis smiled at him and Charley had never thought of a man as beautiful before, but this one was, he blushed. Louis glanced towards Jerry and back to him, “Dandridge if you ever,”

Jerry’s hand pulled Charley back to his side and wrapped an arm around him, possessively. “Never.”

Charley looked up to see him frowning.

Louis tipped his head, “Never is a long time my friend, as you know better than I. Just a thought, keep it and know you have an answer if it’s ever required.”

Jerry nodded, “Thank you, but that’s not going to be a question I ever ask. Don’t you have a flight to catch? A certain sire causing trouble in Europe?”

Louis sighed, “He’s always causing trouble somewhere, but you’re right.” He looked down to Charley and held his eyes for a moment. Charley would swear Louis knew everything about him from that one look, “It was a pleasure Charley. I look forward to meeting you again.”

At a loss for words, unable to remember any of the polite words his mother had drummed into him, Charley nodded.

Louis smiled at him again and, on silent feet, left out the door with a soft click.

Lebeu whistled lowly, “Never seen him take to one like that.”

Neither had Jerry, it was concerning. If a vampire like Louis, who usually had no time for his own kind was so besotted after one meeting. Yes, he would be active in keeping Charley from the community. What he needed was to be closer to his own House, which had never been a concern for him before. He was comforted by knowledge that Regine was moving ever closer to him and, though he was taxed to admit it, he desperately wanted to seek her counsel.


	6. NEW Flashback 4: True blood

Amy looked out the window. The townhouse was amazing. Everything she’d hoped to see in a life with Jerry. Except, in her fantasies, Jerry shared a room with her instead of dragging Charley into the master suite and sending her to a bedroom several rooms down. She told herself it was because Jerry didn’t trust Charley and because he had an itch to bed him, but still, it chaffed at her.

The idea of hunting though certainly helped distract her. They were spoiled for choices even with Jerry’s rules. She looked out the window again and licked her lips at the crowds of merriment. Last night she’d gone out alone and, as far as she knew, Jerry had gone out quickly and then come back and fed Charley from himself. She’d still been out and missed the whole thing. Jerry had said tonight Charley would have to feed and Amy certainly hoped so. Jerry was not Charley’s nightly snack. It wasn’t fair that Charley continued to feed from Jerry and she hadn’t so much as a taste since her turning.

Fnfn

“But I don’t wanna hunt,” Charley said softly, afraid of the outcome, but unable to stay silent.

Jerry sighed. This was the most difficult argument he’d had in centuries. He was wary of ordering Charley, afraid of the long-term effects. He did not want a Louis or Angelus, who would go centuries surviving on rats. He could feel Charley’s emotional state, which made him all too aware of the boy’s honest fear and distaste, making the idea of force even less flattering. He also did not desire Charley to fear or resent him. Yet the boy had to eat, this was a fact, nonnegotiable, as inevitable as the sunrise.

Jerry sat next to the forlorn boy on the bed, “Charley, you must eat. If you do not, you would wither until you lost your senses, attacking anything and everything. You would attack children and the helpless because they would be the easiest. Due to your youth, you would never be able to regain full control and learning to stop before death would be impossible.”

Charley sniffled and nodded, “But I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

The idea lit on him, one he’d seen other sire’s use. He used to think those sire’s weak but now understood them so very well. Next, he saw LaCroix he would owe him an apology, “What if it was a predator? Someone that was truly a monster hiding in human skin. You would be helping those who could not protect themselves, ridding them of people who only dealt pain.” Jerry felt the moment Charley accepted his words and knew he’d chosen the right path.

“How would I know?”

“You would have to learn the skill like any other. However, I could tell. I could bring them to you.” In for a penny, might as well the pound, “That way you could learn without distractions from other humans. Once you have the skill, I would take you to find them yourself.”

Charley nodded. He didn’t see where he had any choices. It was this or going out and hoping, “Alright.”

Jerry sighed in relief. At least this way he would be sure Charley ate. It would also keep him off the hunter’s radar. It was a far better win then he’d thought of going into the plan, “Good Charley, we’ll start tonight.”

Charley felt Jerry’s satisfaction with him and this idea. It made him feel better, knowing Jerry was happy with him even if he told himself he didn’t care.

“Jerry,” Amy called out, as she entered, “I’m hungry.”

Jerry slapped his knees, “Let us go my dear.” He turned to Charley, “I won’t be long,” he felt Charley’s anxiety rise, “don’t worry guy. I’ll find someone properly evil.”

Charley nodded as Jerry stood, he didn’t move away from the hand Jerry brushed though his hair and watched them leave. Amy linked her arm with Jerry’s as they left. Charley could hear her speaking.

“Isn’t Charley coming with us?”

“No, we will bring him someone back.”

“Really?” Her voice tinged with disgust, “Now he can’t hunt?”

“Watch your tongue or you’ll be unable to hunt,” Jerry whipped back.

Charley sighed as he stood. He didn’t want Amy mad at him, but he just couldn’t do as she did. Jerry’s idea was the only way he thought he could stomach this.

New Orleans during February was lovely for the early sunset. It was barely 6pm and they were out on the street.

Amy looked out among all the people, a sweet hungry smile on her lips.

“The common tourists aren’t where we’ll find our meals my dear,” Jerry offered his arm and led her into the shadows.

Charlie wandered around the townhouse, in the general direction of the tv. He wasn’t that eager to get to it. While it was one of the few things to do, it was the most pitiful television ever, it didn’t even have cable.

He paused as a melody echoed through the house, the doorbell, he turned from the back of the house and towards to the door. The only one to visit them had been Lebeu. Charley liked Lebeu, the Cajun taught him a lot and he was funny. The best part was Amy didn’t like him and would steer clear whenever he was around. He opened the door with a smile, except it wasn’t Lebeu, “Um hi.”

“Hi there yourself,” An older man with a thick southern accent smiled. He had dark hair with a hint of grey and wrinkles but still seemed ageless.

Beside him stood a swanlike woman with red hair and even redder lips, she smiled.

Her smile reminded him of Amy. Charley took a step back. He knew or maybe felt that they were vampires, but something was different about them.

The man dropped a hand onto the woman’s arm. “My name is Russel, young sir and this here is Sophie-Anne.”

“Queen of Louisiana,” She added with a frown towards Russel, “This can’t be Louis.”

Russel laughed, “no, no. This is…” he looked to Charley.

“Charley,”

“This is Charley,” Russel winked at him.

Sophie-Anne didn’t look happy. She turned and studied him. Charley tried not to shift under her attention, though he felt himself start to slide behind the door.

Her frown increased, it made her look sour instead of pin-up queen, “You’re, there’s something, what are you?” Her eyebrow went up in interest. She started to take a step closer but was held up by Russel’s arm blocking her.

“What he is my darling, is different than we are. A different breed of vampire. A very dangerous breed,” Russel’s smile hadn’t shifted, but he seemed tense.    

“I thought Louis was part of a different breed,” she yanked away from Russel, straightening her coat.

“And this one is different than that,” Russel’s tone was musical, both giving and demanding, “Is Louis here?”

Charley shook his head, “No.”

“Is Louis friends with your maker?” Sophie-Anne asked. Russel sighed and she turned on him, “What? We’ve been standing on the front porch forever and this is obviously a child.”

Russel’s smile got bigger, “Why yes my sweets he is a child. A child with,” he sniffed the air and sighed heavenly, “a whole lot of very ancient blood flowing through him. Believe me sugar we want to be on the right side of this when his marker shows up.”

“Yes, you do.”

Charley couldn’t see around the woman, but he knew the sound of Jerry’s voice anywhere and the feeling of warmth that spread through him at the sound.

Jerry smoothly and easily moved to Charley’s side and wrapped an arm around him. He sighed and glanced down to him, “One night I’m going to get you to check the door before you open it.”

Charley shrugged at Jerry’s aspiration, “I’m terrible at sensing who’s at the door or whatever.”

“Charley, there is such a thing as a peephole.”

Charley blushed, ok so that was valid. He felt rather silly for not checking but he might have answered it regardless. 

“Gerald why it’s been a forever,” Russel purred, seemly generally happy.

Jerry rolled his eyes at Russel’s tone, “Come in, won’t you, Russel Edgington and,” he allowed them only as far as the front room, but he seemed more curious than irate, so Charley figured it was alright.

“Queen of Louisiana, Sophie-Anne,” she supplied, with sunny tight smile.

“Queen?” Jerry smirked, “Crowded by your ruling Authority?”

“Of course,” she scoffed, her eyes caught on the thick silver bracelet Jerry wore, “but not your Authority I think.”

Jerry shook his head with a smirk, “no.”

She glanced to Russel, who shrugged, “I told ya darling, there are several breeds of vampire in the world. Just because we are the most prevalent don’t mean the only one.” He tilted his head towards Jerry, “our breed just can’t tell the difference unless we’re old enough to,” he brushed his fingers across his thumb, “know the nuisances.”

“And Louis is of a breed even more removed than most,” Jerry mentioned casually, “one of the most secretive and reclusive. One of the least human, I dare say, so whatever could the common line want with him?”

“Common line?” Sophie-Anne growled, her teeth dropping.

There was aggression in her every line, but next to him, arm still casually over Charley’s shoulder Jerry was relaxed.

Russel turned from them, “Darling that’s just an expression, due to our larger population. Nothing to get all tussled over,” his voice dropped, “especially here.”

“Charley show the Queen your fangs if you would.”

Charley didn’t have a clue why Jerry was asking but thought it might not be a good idea to question him. He thought about being hungry, which usually seemed to work, it did this time as well, his fangs dropped.

“Holy fuck,” Sophie-Anne hissed, stepping back.

“My little boy here could feed on you for a week Queen,” Jerry purred.

Charley tilted his head and sniffed. He could smell more and was paying attention, beside which he was getting hungry. She smelt good, like steak. The man smelt better. Charley looked his way.

Russel held up his hands, “Now Charley my boy,” He glared towards Sophie-Anne, “Queen Prissy here is gonna shut up.”   

Vampires killed a lot of people and they weren’t people, he looked up to Jerry, “I’m hungry.”

Jerry chuckled, “And that’s one thing I am certain of. Russel in about two minutes this boy is going to eat. Now whether it’s the human my minion’s bringing in or one of you…well that depends on you.”

Russel nodded, slick smile back in play, “Growing boys are one thing I do know well. In that case I won’t delay you.” He pulled a card from his pocket and brandished it with two fingers before dropping it lightly onto the table. “It’s nothing really. We were just asked to reach out to Louis. The Authority is aware of his work in trying to find a synthetic blood replacement and were hoping to work with him. I’ll leave this card for him to do as he sees fit.”

Jerry’s arm tightened a little, “Very well.”

Russel nodded, “Always a pleasure Gerald.”

“It’s Jerry now, goodnight.”

“Of course, Jerry. This way Darling,” Russel took her arm and while she tried to shrug him off, he wasn’t budging and nearly dragged her towards the door.

“But we were supposed to get Louis to agree,” She angrily yapped at Russel as she was walked.

“And he isn’t here and won’t be. Believe me no one will hold it against us when we mention Ger-Jerry said hello.” Russel bit back, even as he smiled at them from over his shoulder, “Lovely to meet you, young Charley.” And then they were gone.

And Charley was still hungry.

“Jerry,”

Charley turned. Jerry followed, keeping him close. 

Amy stood pouting, “you left me waiting so long.” From behind her a man wandered in, he seemed drunk, swaying, “I brought him through the back, but you never called.”

Charley didn’t hear a word Amy said, the pumping of the man’s heart was so loud. He was so hungry.

Jerry leaned down. “Smell him, yes that’s it, take it in. That smell of tacky sweet, meaty, kinda off? You smell it?”

Charley nodded. He wasn’t sure he liked the smell, but it was still food and he was hungry. He attempted to shrug Jerry’s arm off, but Jerry just pulled him closer.

Jerry knew none of this would make a difference to Charley now, but even a hungry vampire’s memory was flawless and later Charley would care. “Listen to his words Charley.”

“Tell ‘im, tell ‘im,” the man slurred, while shuffling closer, “I don’t like that stuff on his face. I can tell he’s real pretty through. He gonna have ta pop those teeth out before,” he paused and looked around dramatically, “who do I pay,” he narrowed in on Jerry, “you? How much? I ain’t got a lot of money, promise not to mark ‘im up to much.”

Jerry lifted his arm. “There you go guy.”

The man had time to raise his hands, though his shriek was cut off as he hit the floor. He attempted to bat Charley away but after a few moments under Charley’s fangs, his hands hit the floor.

“How come you let him kill?”

Jerry listened to the sounds of his child drinking, “He needs more.” He had moved close enough to watch and now took a step back as blood began to pool beneath the body. Thankfully the floor was marble. It would be easier for Amy to clean.

“It’s not fair,” Amy pouted, scowling down towards Charley.

“I think you’ll find that life or un-life is rarely fair.”

She huffed but Jerry ignored her, dropping to balance on his heels as he watched Charley.  

Charley pulled away as the blood slowed and the hunger receded. He wiped a hand over his mouth and stared at the mess. He couldn’t look at the body. Now that he was full, and thinking clearly, he didn’t want to think at all. He shifted awkwardly, ashamed that he was so hard. The feedings he could remember were from Jerry, on his lap and Jerry had always taken care of this before Charley had to deal with it.

Charley closed his eyes and licked his hand trying to use the blood to distract his mind and delay his body until he could get control of himself. He heard Jerry talking to Amy but not what he was saying until a sharp pinch of fury yanked his eyes towards Jerry. It wasn’t until he realized Jerry’s hand had stopped inches from his face that he’d noticed that he’d jumped between them and in front of Amy.

Jerry took a deep breath and dropped his hand, “Charley,” he took in the blood covered chin, the big black eyes and their glowing depths, the fangs and his anger cooled. He glanced back to the minion, “clean this up,” he wrapped his fingers around Charley’s chin and lifted, leaned forward and licked a line of blood, “mmm.” Charley made a noise between a growl and purr.

 


End file.
